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How To Succeed 

WITH HOGS 

IN THE 

SOUTHERN STATES 




The Progressive Farmer 
Hog Book 



•8 J' 



II > 

How To Succeed 
With Hogs 

in 

The Southern States 



ILLUSTRATED 



h'h 



THE PROGRESSIVE 
FARMER COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 



Raleigh, N. C. 
Birmingham, Ala. 



Memphis, Tenn. 
Dallas, Texas 






COPYRIGHTED 1919 

By 

THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER CO. 



Oto !G 1919 



(a)CI.A536912 



"'W^ I 



^ 



^ 



DEDICATED 

To the Members of the Boys' 
Pig Clubs of the whole South as 
a recognition of the great serv- 
ice they have rendered in the 
development of our swine indus- 
try, by the publishers 

— The Progressive Farmer Co. 



CONTENTS 

Chapter I. The Place of Hog Raising in Southern 
Farming. 

Chapter II. Selecting the Breeding Stock. 

Chapter III. Care and Feeding of the Boar. 

Chapter IV. Care and Feeding of Brood Sows From 
Breeding to Farrowing. 

Chapter V. Care and Feeding of the Brood Sows While 
Suckling Their Pigs. 

Chapter VI. Care and Feeding the Pigs From Weaning 
to Five Months of Age. 

Chapter VII. Grazing Crops — Temporary. 

Chapter VIII. Grazing Crops — Permanent Pastures. 

Chapter IX. Grains, concentrates and Other Dry Feeds 

Chapter X. Growing Pigs for Pork Production. 

Chapter XI. Growing Pigs for Breeding Stock. 

Chapter XII. The Fattening of Hogs. 

Chapter XIII. The Self-Feeder for Hogs. 

Chapter XIV. Keeping Hogs Free of Lice and Worms. 

Chapter XV. Preventing Cholera. 

Chapter XVI. Housing the Hogs. 

Chapter XVII. Curing Meat on the Farm. 

Appendix: 

Feeding Cotton Seed Meal to Hogs. 

How Many Hogs or Cattle Per Car. 



CONTENTS 

Young Hogs Make Best Use of Feed. 
Feeding Velvet Bean and Pod Meal to Hogs. 
A Practical Hog Crate. 
Available Literature on Hog Raising. 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

Page 

Duroc-Jersey Boar 2 

Duroc-Jersey Sow 3 

Berkshire Boar S 

Berkshire Sow 9 

Breeding Crate 13 

Poland-China Boar 16 

Poland-China Sow 17 

Tamworth Boar 20 

Tamworth Sow 21 

Spotted Poland-China Boar 24 

Spotted Poland-China Sow 25 

Hampshire Boar 28 

Hampshire Sow 29 

Chester White Boar 38' 

Chester White Sow 39 

Yorkshire Boar 42 

Yorkshire Sow 43 

Self-Feeder 60, 61 

Hog Wallow 64 

Dipping Vat 66 

A Type Hog House 80 

Knock Down Pen 82, 83 

Practical Hog Crate 93 

vii 



INDEX 

Boars: Page 

Bedding 12 

Breeding Crate 13 

Feeding 12 

Grade or Cross Bred 6 

Handling 11, 12 

Pasture 12 

Purebred 7 

Quality - 7 

Running with Sows 11 

Spraying 12 

Tusks, Cutting 12 

Vermin 12, 63 

Breeding Stock: 

Grade or Cross Bred Fallacy 6 

Growing 44, 53 

Purebred Boars 7 

Quality in Sows 9 

Selecting 6 

Types 7 

Brood Sows: 

Breeding, Time to 21, 23 

Care, at Farrowing, etc 15, 19, 20 

Corn, a Good Feed for 16 

Feeding 15 

Litters, Fall and Spring 21, 25 

Quality 9 

viii 



INDEX 

Self-Feeder 37, 51, 57 

Cholera: 

Double Treatment 74 

Keeping Out of the Herd 69 

Losses from 69 

Serum Treatment T^ 

Single Treatment 74 

Spreading Cholera, etc 69, 70, 71 

Symptoms 72 

Curing Meat: 

Brine 87 

Dressing 86 

Dry Curing 87 

Killing 85 

Paste for Covering Sacks 89 

Sacking or Covering 89 

Scalding 86 

Smoking 88 

Feeding: 

Corn 16. 32, 36, 37, 58 

Fattening Hogs 49 

Feeding, Growing Pigs, Boar, Sows 12, 15, 38, 41, 44, 46 

Hogging Down Corn, etc 'hi. 51, 52 

Harvesting Feed Crops with Hogs 3S', 51, 53, 54 

Growth, Rapid or Slow 52 

Maximum of Feed Gathered by Hogs 52 

Minimum of Grain 52 

Mineral Matter 27, 45, 47, 56 

Pigs, Make Best Use of Feed 49, 91 

Self-Feeder 37, 57, 58, 59 

Variety 26, 37 

Velvet Bean and Pod Meal 91 

ix 



INDEX 

Grains and Concentrates: 

Corn 16, 32, 36, 38, 39, 47 

Cottonseed Meal 38', 90 

Milk 26, 47 

Peanuts 31, 40, 56 

Shorts, Wheat 20 

Soy Beans 18. 39, 40, 47, 56 

Tankage 13, 47 

Velvet Bean and Pod Meal 91 

Grazing Crops: 

Alfalfa 13, 31, 33 

Barley 31 

Bermuda Grass 32, 33 

Bur Clover 13, 31, 33 

Chufas 31 

Crimson Clover 22, 31 

Cowpeas 31, 37 

Grain Necessary to Supplement Grazing 34 

Lespedeza 31 

Melitotus 31 

Oats 18, 31 

Pastures, Permanent, Temporary 12. 17, 32, 34 

Peanuts 31 

Rape 22, 31 

Red Clover 31 

Rotation of Grazing Crops 28, 31 

Rye 22, 31 

Soy Beans 22, 31, 37 

Sorghum 13, 31 

Sweet Potatoes 12, 31 

Velvet Beans 31 

Vetch 31 



INDEX 

Wheat 31 

White Clover 13 

Growing the Pigs: 

Best Use of Feed 23, 91 

Care and Feeding for Breeding Stock 44 

Care and Feeding for Pork 41 

Creep, for Early Feeding 22 

Dipping Vat 48. 66 

Exercise Essential 20, 45, 47 

Heavy vs. Light Feeding 24, 45, 46 

Liberal Feeding Important 23 

Litters, Fall and Spring 21, 25 

Mineral Matter 27 

Pigs Running with Older Hogs 27, 48 

Protein 45, 47 

Self-Feeder 37. 58, 60 

Sleeping Quarters 48 

Standard Rations 44 

Variety of Feeds Necessary 26 

Wallowing Tank 35, 48, 64 

Weaning 23, 44, 46 

Housing: 

A Type of House (Illustration) 80 

Arrangement of Houses 81 

Cot-House (Illustration) 82, 83 

Floors 64, 81 

Location. Changing Houses. 48. 81 

Movable Houses 68 

Shelter for Boar 12 

Sleeping Places. 48, 63, 65, 79 

Mixed Infections 74, 78 

xi 



INDEX 

Parasites : 

Dipping Vat, Plans, etc 48, 66 

Feeding to Prevent 63, 67 

Lice 12, 63, 68 

Lots, Changing 67 

Movable Houses 68 

Oiled Sand to Prevent Lice 65 

Spraying to Remove Lice 64, 65 

Sleeping Quarters, Clean 63, 6'5 

Wallowing Tank 48, 64 

Worms, Symptoms ._ 67 

Worms, Remedies for 68 

Self-Feeder: 

Brood Sows. Self-Feeder Not Advised for 38, 58 

Construction, Plans, etc 60, 61 

Compartments 58 

Corn from 37, 58 

Enables Hog to Balance Ration 57, 58 

Grazing Crops with 59 

Mixed Feeds in Self-Feeder 58' 

Pigs, Self-Feeder not Always Best for 38, 59 

Starting Hogs on Self-Feeder 59 

Variety of Feed Necessary 57 

Appendix: 

Feeding Cottonseed Meal 90 

Hog Crate, Shipping 92 

Literature, Free 94 

Number of Hogs to Fill Car 91 

Velvet Beans and Pod Meal 91 

Young Hogs Make Best Use of Feed 91 



PREFACE 

The first Boys' Pig Club in America was organized by 
the late W. H. Miller, Superintendent of Schools of 
Oktibbeha County, at Starkville, Miss., December, 1909. 

The originator of the Boys' Pig Club idea was Prof. 
Hugh Critz, then of the Mississippi Agricultural College 
and now president of the District Agricultural College at 
Russellville, Ark. 

The editor of The Progressive Farmer, Dr. Tait Butler, 
assisted Messrs. Miller and Critz in formulating the Rules 
and Regulations and organizing the first Boys' Pig Club 
and judged the first exhibit made by a Boys' Pig Club at 
the Starkville, Mississippi, Fair, October 4, 1910. 

Many readers of The Progressive Farmer expressed 
their appreciation of the subject matter of this book when 
it appeared in a series of articles in the regular issues of 
the paper. 

Many have also expressed a desire to have these articles 
in permanent book form for easy and convenient reference. 
These expressions are chiefly responsible for the publica- 
tion of this little volume. 

The larger number of the chapters, all of which have 
appeared in The Progressive Farmer, were originally pre- 
pared by that successful farmer and able agricultural writer, 
Mr. A. L. French, who for so many years has been a 
regular and valued contributor to The Progressive Farmer. 

Chapter XVII on Curing Meat on the Farm was pre- 
pared by Prof. Dan T. Gray. Raleigh. N. C, than whom 
there is no better authority on hog raising in the South. 

The writer is responsible for the orig-inal preparation of 
several chapters and the revision of the whole series of 
articles for this publication. 



PREFACE 

Credit is also due the U. S. Department of Agricul- 
ture, Washington, D. C, as well as several breeders' as- 
sociations for illustrations used in this book. 

This little book is not offered the farmers and Pig Club 
boys of the South as a complete or comprehensive discus- 
sion of hog raising, but it is believed that the subject matter 
will be found accurate and helpful, because it records the 
experiences and observations of successful hog raisers. The 
aim has been to deal in a brief and simple manner with 
most of the important problems of the hog raisers of the 
South, and it is the hope and belief that it will furnish the 
boys of the pig clubs and the older hog raisers of the South 
with accurate, conservative and helpful information. 

TAIT BUTLER, Editor. 
October 24, 1919. 



CHAPTER I 

The Place of Hog Raising In Southern Farming 

Hog raising in the South must be founded upon rea- 
sonable profit first — a profit approximating the average 
profit to the farmer secured through his other farming 
operations ; and, second, upon necessity. 

Sentiment has had very little to do in the past v^^ith the 
business of the average farmer, nor will it have in the fu- 
ture; for the average farmer is in the business to make 
a living the same as other average humans engaged in 
other callings or occupations. 

Necessity has compelled farmers to do things in tim'e 
past that they would not have done from choice, in which 
cases they acquiesced with about the same grace as do 
other mortals under like circumstances. 

It has been proved pretty conclusively in the past, 
by farmers and scientific experimenters, that hog raising 
in the South, if conducted in the light of present knowledge 
of the business, can be made a business productive of av- 
erage profit. One of the best proofs we have of this is 
that many men of average judgment in practically every 
section, have been growing market hogs for years, and give 
every indication of continuing in the work. And because 
of the stable nature of the demand for all hog products 
with an augmented price, in line very nearly if not quite 
with the advance in value of other Southern farm products, 
we can see no reason, from the standpoint of profit, for 
any change toward a lessened production of hogs by those 
who have been engaged in the business for some time. 

Hog Raising Means Quick Returns 

A strong argument that the claim of the South as a 
pork-producing section is sound is found in the fact that 



2 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

every ingredient of the feed necessary for the most eco- 
nomical pork production is found within our borders, in- 
deed is present or may be grown on practically every farm 
in all our Southland. The corn that has been the chief 
reliance of the hog grown in the Middle West is being 
produced in the South in rapidly increasing volume. In- 
deed, the position the South is assuming as a corn-grow- 
ing section is rather startling to those who have looked 
upon our section as a market for raw corn products. A 




DUROC-JERSEY BOAR 

recent sale of Florida corn on the Chicago market is a 
thing undreamed of ten years ago, and the fact that the 
shipment topped the market speaks well for the quality 
of the product. Then the protein balances for the corn 
finishing ration — the part of the ration which the West- 
ern feeders depend upon the packers to supply very 
largely — may be grown right on the land on which the 
hogs are fed in the South, in the form of soy beans, cow- 
peas, velvet beans, or peanuts — one or more of them in ev- 
ery section and all in most sections. And when something 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 3 

more is thought necessary for the finishing touches, dur- 
ing the last thirty days, our greatest concentrate — cotton- 
seed meal — is always at hand. 

But in the thing to which the hog grower must ever 
look for the greatest economy in growing hogs up to the 
finishing period, for example, grazing crops, is where the 
South exhibits her greatest strength. The West has her 
clover, alfalfa, grasses and rape for summer use mainly. 
We have all these and many more, such as soy beans, cow- 




DUROC-JERSEY SOW 

peas, velvet beans, Bermuda, lespedeza, etc. Then our late 
falls and early springs make possible several months of 
slightly cooler grazing weather, when rape, rye, crimson 
clover, bur clover, and winter oats do valiant service in 
holding down the cost of production. 

And while we are on the subject of grazing crops, it 
should be noted that corn may be harvested by hogs in the 
field as well as can other crops that are more commonly 
used in that way, although we rather object to this method 
of harvesting the crop when labor is available for its hand- 



4 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

ling because of the loss of rough forage when such 
method is used. 

If the foregoing be true, and we believe that it is, the 
necessity for many more hogs in the South and the possi- 
bility of their profitable production when conditions are 
made right for their grazing, is proved beyond question. 
When considering the question of whether or not it is prac- 
tical to make our conditions conform to the needs of in- 
creased hog production, we must look at conditions as they 
are at present in our territory and not as they have been in 
the very recent past or as we individually or as a people 
might wish them to be. 

Machine-grown and Hog-harvested Crops to Solve the 
Labor Problem 

It is undeniably true that there is getting to be a real 
shortage of labor in many sections of the South, to carry 
on the cropping system that is so generally in vogue in our 
country, and it is as true that the shortage of labor affects 
the harvesting more than it does the planting or tending of 
our crops ; for with machinery a man can plant and jtend 
three times the acreage of our great staple crops that his 
individual labor will harvest. The grazing hog may to 
many thousands of our people be the way out of this labor 
difficulty. 

Again, where the invasion of the boll weevil has tend- 
ed to a greatly increased corn acreage and especially when 
this bulky crop is produced many miles from a railway 
or steamboat shipping point, the hog — through his capac- 
ity as a food condenser and then his ability under neces- 
sity for walking himself a reasonable distance to a shipping 
point — may prove himself the logical means for market- 
ing the corn crop. This has been a necessity for years 
past in many sections of the Mississippi valley country, 
where men have been hauling raw corn from 15 to 30 miles 
to sell it at a less price than good hogs would have paid 
for the product at home, and the bulk of the fertility the 
corn contained could have been left on the farm. 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 5 

Approaching the might-be position of the hog in what 
is now the great cotton growing section, his position is 
not quite so clear, for cotton and its by-products are 
bringing unheard of prices, producing profits — were there 
no other factor to be considered— that make even 20-cent 
hogs look cheap. But conditions as they actually are and 
bid fair to continue for some time at least, would lead us to 
consider carefully the possibility that the members of the 
family that are located on about every thirty acres of this 
cotton land may be without meat unless the hogs are pro- 
duced on the plantation, and when one is hungry big 
profit or little profit doesn't make quite the impression on 
the mind that it does at other times. Then if the present 
labor trouble should continue to vex it may be necessary 
for even the regular cotton plantation owner to so read- 
just his operations that a family will be able to work more 
than the regulation 30 to 40 acres of land ; in which case 
an enlarged acreage of machine-grown and hog-harvested 
crops may commend itself as the solution of the problem. 
The tobacco-growing farmer can handle so few acres of 
his money crop with the labor available that there never 
has been an excuse for him buying meat, for every tobac- 
co farm has surplus land and the labor plenty of time 
available — when the main crop is not demanding atten- 
tion — to grow the feed necessary to provide all the meat 
the farm should require. 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 



CHAPTER II 



Selecting the Breeding Stock 

With no class of animals does profitable production 
follow more closely along the line of quality in breeding 
stock than with hogs. In time past, and not in the very dis- 
tant past either, this statement would have been questioned 
but as experience with hogs of improved blood broadens, 
more men who know and who have learned in the great 
school of experience give it as their verdict that the hog 
that has been trained by the brainy men through several 
generations to do certain things will do those things with 
greater certainty than will the hog that has "just growed." 
And it must be insisted that the drive we are making for 
more hogs be made with a double team, and let us hitch with 
more, better quality. Then will our grass, clover, corn and 
other feed be assured the best market that well cared for 
hogs can provide. 

The Grade or Cross-Bred Fallacy 

Certain men have always had a craze for the grade or 
cross-bred animal, their contention being that a grade or 
cross-bred animal makes a better — more profitable — feeder 
than does the pure-bred. There has never been any 
ground for the contention, as the main consideration of the 
men who have established our standard breeds of livestock 
has been to provide a more profitable market for our 
farm feeds, first, by reason of turning said feeds into the 
highest-class product and, second, making possible a great- 
er number of pounds of the product for a given amount of 
feed consumed. Hundreds of old cattle men say that they 
prefer a high-grade steer or a cross-bred animal to a pure- 
bred of any breed for beef production ; but the fact is that 
steers that are pure-bred or practically so have been topping 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 7 

the best markets of America for the past half dozen years 
and winning in carlots at the greatest stock shows. 

So we believe it is safe to say, when selecting the hog 
breeding stock, "be sure of quality animals." Then in al- 
most every part of our territory get the pure-bred animals 
of both sexes ; for the pure-bred sow with all the essential 
points well defined may be purchased generally at not 
over 50 per cent above meat prices. 

And with pure-bred boars as numerous as they now 
are in our territory, it seems but folly for the farmers 
of any community to use anything less than a first- 
class pure-bred boar. A pure-bred hog can care for twen- 
ty to thirty sows during a season, and one pig from each 
litter, sold at common pig prices, would pay for a much 
higher-priced hog than it would ever be necessary to pur- 
chase when the purpose is to breed market hogs. 

But there are hogs and hogs, differing as widely in type 
as do the ideas of their breeders. And they are any of 
them more profitable to use than are common grades. But 
when it is necessary to secure new blood, let us select as 
nearly as we may the type of hog that the breeders who 
keep in closest touch with market and cost prices are pro- 
ducing. These men are acquiring a little more experience 
all the time, and their experience during the past dozen 
years has caused them to look with favor upon the hog 
carrying a little more scale and bone than did their favor- 
ite of a decade ago. Perhaps this change has come about 
because of the enlarged place grazing is finding in profit- 
able hog production. The little dumpy hog of 20 years 
ago was not a great success as a grazer, and his some- 
what taller, deeper-bodied, longer cousin of today does 
much better execution along that line. 

However, there is a wide difference between the large, 
smooth, fine quality hog and the course, big, rough hog. 
So in selecting our herd boar we would look for both 
size and quality. We do not mean to secure the biggest 
hog that may be found, but a hog of good quality that 
will develop to 600 or 700 pounds about meets our idea of 



8 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

what a breeding boar should be. Let this hog have a 
broad forehead, a bright eye, strong straight legs, feet that 
hold up the weight that comes on them, a deep side, well 
rounded rib, slightly arched back; good deep hams, and the 
whole covered with a thick coat of silky hair. Then by all 
means see that he comes from a litter of not less than 
eight, and that his dam has a quiet disposition. We do 
not want to breed wild or vicious hogs. They are trouble- 
some to handle and generally poor feeders. 

The importance of securing the right sort of boar grows 




aiiRKSHIRE BOAR 

out of the fact that his blood may go into 250 pigs per 
year and, if they be pure-bred pigs, be responsible for one- 
half of their good or bad quality, and should their dams 
be grade or scrub, the boar would mean even more to the 
pig crop. But as important as the boar is to the herd, he 
is of no more importance to the individual pig of the herd 
than its dam. Indeed, it is questionable if the boar has as 
much to do with profitable pig production as has the sow; 
for while his blood means 50 per cent or more to the pig's 
breeding, the dam's blood means almost as much in the 
breeding, and her body provides for safe farrowing of the 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 



9 



offspring and its feeding and care in the main for some 
two months. So theory shows how very important is the 
right sort of a sow to the hog-breeding business. And 
this theory is confirmed by the experience of careful hog 
men everywhere. On our farm have been individual sows 
that farrowed and fed to weaning age three times as many 
pigs within the space of five years as other sows, and the 
pigs were of much better quality. Where these sows ex- 
celled was that they were of quiet disposition and gener- 
ally saved the majority of the pigs farrowed. Then they 




BERKSHIRE SOW 

Make Sure of Quality in the Sow 

were great milkers and brought a large per centage of the 
pigs through to weaning age without becoming stunted. 

If necessary let the other fellow select the boar for 
you, if he will select according to your directions; but 
you have a look at the sow before purchasing if it be pos- 
sible to do so. Test her disposition, notice her udder, see 
that she has at least 13 teats ; see if she takes to her feed 
as if it had the right taste. All this has much to do with 
the profitableness of the breeding sow. 

There are, of course, not enough of these great individ- 



10 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

ual sows in the country to produce all the young sows need- 
ed, but where one is found her female produce should be 
carefully guarded that her blood may breed on. Sows of 
this character should be kept breeding until old age causes 
small litters or those in which the pigs lack uniformity. 
As a general proposition the idea of slaughtering sows 
after they have produced one or two litters and breeding 
gilts to replace them is not sound. The pigs out of the 
aged sows are generally larger and stronger, and as the 
older sows are likely to be better milkers, the offspring 
make better development all around. 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 11 



CHAPTER III 



Caring For and Feeding the Boar 

Young males require for their proper development and 
best work, individual attention. This is as true of young 
boars as it is of young bulls and stallions. Hardly any- 
one in the range country would think of turning a yearling 
stallion out with a band of unbred mares to rustle along 
the best he could ; but many think that the proper course 
to take with a young boar, as regards his relations with 
the female hog stock. 

The practice is all wrong and in the majority of cases 
will result in a poorly developed hog and a little later in 
a poor working animal that will beget weak pigs. There 
is no special objection to running a young boar in the same 
pasture with settled sows, provided with this practice the 
male receives the amount of feed necessary to keep hini 
growing as he should and in good strong flesh. This, 
however, is hardly good hog practice, for a young boar 
requires more feed than do sows that are not far advanced 
in pregnancy. So the most practicable method of hand- 
ling the boar is to have a good pasture, well fenced, and 
containing a comfortable shelter where the boar may stay 
at all times, with gates so arranged that sows may be 
handled in and out with the least work. And when it is 
necessary to breed a sow, let her be brought toj this field, 
given one service and then removed at once. Handled in 
this manner, there will be the minimum drain upon the 
hog's vitality and he will soon learn what control means. 
\lso there will be far less time required for his handling 
in the long run than when he is allowed to go to every 
hog lot with the certainty of his becoming breachy, after 
a time. 

Few things pertaining to livestock are more aggravat- 



13 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

ing than to have an old boar that is breaking fences when- 
ever the mood comes upon him. A shelter for a boar in 
our territory need not be expensive, a cheap leanto shed 
w^ith a tight roof and boarded tight on the two ends and 
rear side being all that is necessary. This shelter should 
be kept in good sanitary condition through being cleaned 
once per week, sprayed with some good disinfectant, then 
rebedded. The bedding is very necessary during the winter 
months when hogs are kept in individual houses. And the 
shed should have an eight-inch board nailed across the 
front at the ground line to keep the bedding in place. 

The boar should be sprayed or otherwise treated for 
vermin once every two weeks, provided there is no perma- 
nent vermin-destroying arrangement. We have found a 
little kerosene oil poured along the hog's back from head 
to tail as effective and cheap as any temporary measure, 
although we think spraying with a coal tar dip pre- 
paration has a tendency to keep the hog's coat in better 
condition. 

Cutting the boar's tusks is a pretty cheap insurance 
against damage to men or animals that have occasion 
to pass through his pasture. 

This pasture should be seeded with the most perma- 
nent pasture grass that is fitted to the section in which the 
boar is kept. There is nothing better for this purpose over 
the most of our territory than Bermuda, reinforced with 
lespedeza, white clover, and in sections where it does well, 
bur clover. In the Piedmont section a light seeding of 
common red clover seeded on the sod in late February will 
usually make growth enough to pay well for the time and 
seed required. This pasture feed should be supplemented 
with rape in its season cut and thrown to the hogs once 
per day. Turnips, too, and sweet potatoes provide a 
change that is much relished by the hog. Then an arm- 
ful once per day of soy beans in the milk stage, bulTalo 
weeds, beggar weeds or any other succulent legume helps 
the boar to forget that he is a prisoner, and provides the 
protein that his pasture may lack in the early fall. When 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 



13 



roasting ears come let the boar have two or three stalks 
of corn with the ears once per day. And as the winter 
days come on the bur clover and white clover should be 
supplemented with turnips, alfalfa, clover, soy bean, cow- 
pea leaves or the finer particles of other legumes. 

The boar will usually take sufficient exercise to keep 
him fit, but lest he should become lazy during the winter 
it is well to have his house located as far as possible 




A BREEDING CRATE 

A A are 2x6-inch boar supports hinged in front and hung on chains in rear so as to 
be adjustable both vertically and horizontally. 

B is a IJ^-inch wooden rod which is placed through the holes C C and behind the 
ham of the sow to prevent her backing out of the box. The proper hole to use is deter- 
mined by the size of the sow. 

M is a platform to raise a small boar high enough to serve a large sow. 

from the feeding place. At all times of the year a couple 
of ears of corn per day should be fed to help out the other 
feeds. 

Tankage is a good feed to go with the corn as a hog 
ration and where this feed rich in protein is available there 
is no especial objection to its use, except that cash is re- 
quired for its purchase. Economy of production calls for 



14 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

the use of home-grown feeds entirel}' for hogs, for tney may 
be grown in almost every case at one-fourth of what a pur- 
chased substitute will cost. 

When the boar gets heavy — and an aged boar is pre- 
ferable to a young hog, the use of an aged hog insures 
stronger pigs usually than those got by a young boar — a 
breeding crate should be on hand in a pen located in an 
enclosed corner of the hog lot, for use when gilts are to be 
bred. 

In our territory pasture is the feed par excellence for 
cheap hog production, and the boar should be made to con- 
tribute his "bit" toward keeping down the cost of produc- 
tion, and at the same time the exercise gained and the 
succulence obtained through the grazing will keep him al- 
ways "fit." 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 15 



CHAPTER IV 



Care and Feeding of Brood Sows From Breeding to 

Farrowing 

Around the old sow has sprung up many fallacies dur- 
ing the past 50 years, somp of the more foolish of which 
are still going strong in certain sections and doing much 
to retard profitable pork production.' 

All have heard men say that a sow should be very thin 
in flesh — meaning to them skin-poor — when she is bred, 
if a large strong litter of pigs is desired. But during 
all these years observation and experience have furnished 
convincing evidence that best results follow when sows 
come to mating time carrying plenty of solid hard 
flesh, acquired through pretty liberal feeding on prop- 
erly balanced rations supplemented with plenty of 
succulence and abundant exercise. This is only common 
sense, after all. The animal that has become emaciated 
through poor feeding or heavy suckling or both is in a 
low state of vitality, just the opposite of the condition 
we should want at mating time. This does not mean that 
the sows should be penned and fed on corn until they are 
full of lard ; but means, just as stated, that sows should 
be strong and full of good blood at the time of mating. 
There is, in my opinion, little danger of making brood 
sows too fat in the South, when two litters per year are 
produced. And we have found it good business to drop 
off one litter in every five and give the sows a chance 
to rest up and renew their vigor. 

Care After Breeding 

After the sow has been bred, the feeding should con- 
tinue as before, only more attention, if anything, given to 
proper balancing of the ration, supplying succulence and 



16 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 



the absolutely indispensible exercise. Corn is a most 
handy feed for hogs and may be used at all times of the 
year as part of the ration for brood sows at the rate of 
two or three good ears per day per sow when not suckling, 
and the ration doubled when the sows are hard at work. 

People seem to have acquired the notion somehow that 
corn is a more expensive crop to grow. in the South than 




POI.AND-CHINA BOAR 

are other crops that are looked upon as legitimate hog 
feed. Our experience does not tally with this notion, for 
with us corn is produced at about the same cost per acre 
as other cultivated crops. And it is the fact that the corn 
is generally harvested in the South, while many of 
the other hog-feeding crops are hogged off, that has 
caused corn to be rated as high-priced hog feed, and it 
should be remembered that it is just as feasible to hog off 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 



17 



corn as it is to handle other crops in this manner. How- 
ever, this is not a job for a brood sow, as under this 
method of feeding they use this splendid feed m a too 
liberal portion, and make their feeding more expensive 
through a too liberal use of concentrate instead of per- 
manent and temporary uncultivated pasture plants — that 
are produced at less expense because the cost of cultivation 
is eliminated. 

So we believe that the sows should have some corn 




POLAND-CHINA SOW 

in most sections at all seasons of the year, for it is prob- 
ably the best fat-producer we have, but that it should 
always be fed as a part ration, the bulk being made up 
of feed that the sows may harvest economically them- 
selves. 

The sows should always have as the basis of their 
ration the grazing from a good permanent pasture, ana 
the travel necessary to secure this feed will supply the ex- 
ercise needed. In this permanent pasture at nearly ail 
times of the year will be secured some nitrogenous feed. 



18 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

in the shape of clover of different kinds. Sows immediate- 
ly after being bred, and for two months may secure all the 
feed needed from these permanent pastures when this 
feed is supplemented with the light corn feed as noted 
above. This will depend of course a good deal upon the 
season, lor should the season be unusually dry the per- 
manent pasture plants may make small growth or become 
so dry as to be unpalatable. Then comes the need for 
the succulent, rapid growing, temporary pasture crops, 
such as Dwarf Essex rape, crimson clover, rye, soy beans, 
velvet beans, cowpeas, etc., that should always be growing 
to meet an emergency or to do their part in a regular feed- 
ing program. 

It may always be accepted as a fact that all sorts of 
hog feed may be grown in.the South at much less than 
some purchased substitute would cost. So it is always 
the part of economy to produce on the farm all the feed 
dry sows require to keep them in the very best condition. 
The proper combining of the feed is a simple matter when 
we know that all legume plants are rich in protein or 
muscle-building properties, while feed such as corn, rape, 
rye plants, oat plants, etc., are energy and fat producers. 
And with all the pasture on the legume grazing crops 
the sows will use, supplemented with the small corn feed 
noted in the foregoing, dry sows will be found to do all 
right. When rape and corn are used together, either good 
legume pasture should be available or a light feed of 
soy bean meal added to the ration. When the permanent 
pasture is largely legumes the meal will not be found neces- 
sary. 

During those times in the winter when land is not in 
the condition that the crop may be grazed, some nitrogen 
ous feed with some bulk must be supplied to balance the 
corn ration. The entire soy bean plant harvested as hay 
or bound in bundles we have found to answer very well 
as a balance and filler and when this feed was not at 
hand the leaves of the legume hays have been used with 
success, both dry and moistened. These feed matters will 
be dealt with more fully in succeeding chapters. 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 19 



CHAPTER V 



How to Care For and Feed the Brood Sows While Suck- 
ling Their Pigs 

Sows that have been properly cared for during preg- 
nancy should be confined at farrowing time in a private 
apartment — either a small house or a division of a larger 
house — and the pigs will find a dam in good flesh, brought 
about through proper feeding on a well balanced ration, 
and re-enforced by abundant exercise, secured, in the 
main, by hustling after the part ration of succulent feed 
that they have been privileged to partake of when land 
and weather conditions were such that they could graze. 

This full-flesh condition of sows at farrowing time 
is very important as an insurance against weak pigs at 
birth and poorly nourished pigs at three to four weeks old. 
It is very seldom indeed that a sow very low in flesh at 
farrowing time will farrow large strong pigs, for the simple 
reason that the sow's feed has not been sufficient to pro- 
perly nourish the sow's body and her young. And it is as 
uncommon too for a sow in poor flesh at farrowing time to 
properly feed her three-weeks-old pigs — when the litter is 
as large as the greatest profit requires — for the reason that 
she cannot digest enough feed to maintain herself in strong 
condition while eight to ten lusty pigs are demanding any 
number of square meals per day. So instead of being in 
gaunt but strong condition, with the pigs even in size, lusty 
and growing, four weeks sifter farrowing, she will, nine 
times out of ten, be found somewhat wabbly in the hind 
legs and running away from a squealing bunch of hungry 
pigs, about half of which are securing practically all the 
milk she furnishes. 

So, coming back to the starting point, of the young 
pig's life, we hope to find the sow carrying good flesh, 



30 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 



dwelling in her private apartment from which all cold 
drafts or hot sun has been excluded, grunting her sat- 
isfaction with a fine, even bunch of lusty day-old pigs ly- 
ing close to the table. And this is about all she requires 
for the first 36 hours, except plenty of good water, in 
which has been mixed just enough soy bean meal or 
wheat shorts to keep her hog nature satisfied, and her body 
cool. 

After the second day let the feed be gradually increased, 




TAMWORTH BOAR 

adding to the slop a couple of ears of corn daily. The sow 
will now begin to move about more, seeking the succu- 
lent pasture feed that should be the part of every suckling 
sow's ration, and within a week the pigs will begin to fol- 
low the sow, taking the exercise that is absolutely essen- 
tial to the health of nursing pigs. 

Never under any condition should this privilege of ex- 
ercise be denied little pigs for a longer period than one 
week after farrowing, else the fat little fellows will begin 
to have thumps, and when they get into this condition 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 21 

their time of usefulness is practically over. Pigs kept in a 
nice warm bed look more comfortable than do pigs that 
follow their dam about the pasture ; but experience proves 
that such treatment is death to the well fed suckling pig. 
The more good grazing the sow has after farrowing the 
less her feed will cost the owner and the more healthy 
will her pigs be. For this reason, among others, we want 
the pigs farrowed in the South when there may be some- 
thing green for the sow ; not too early in the spring — 




TAMVVORTH SOW 

generally around March first — and not too late in the 
spring either — so the little fellows will be bothered with 
the hot sun and flies. The fall litters — and there gener- 
ally should be fall Jitters when the proper winter and 
early spring grazing is provided — should come during the 
last of September and during October. 

As a general proposition we do not favor summer far- 
rowed pigs unless an abundance of shade is available, for 
the hot sun and the pestiferous flies are both very harm- 
ful to little pigs. Then, too, where the hogs are produced 



22 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

for market these summer pigs grazed on late fall crops 
and fed on corn into January or February are liable to 
strike a low market. Where the meat produced is to be 
consumed at home, the late summer pig should be a prime 
favorite, save for the fly trouble, for it cannot be denied 
that a hundred-pound shoat ready to do his own harvesting 
from September 1 on is a very desirable citizen. 

Later Care of the Sow 

After the pigs are a week old the sow's feed should 
be increased gradually to about what she will clean up, and 
she should be encouraged all the time to secure as much 
of this as possible from the pasture by having the most 
nourishing and palatable of these pasture plants in abun- 
dant supply. With rape, rye, and crimson clover avail- 
able, a nursing sow will make a much larger percentage of 
her living off the land than she will if her grazing is the 
grasses and small clovers found in a permanent pasture. 
Because of the extremely high prices of the by-products of 
wheat, which are probably our best feeds for nursing sows, 
in connection with pasture — we of the South may make 
a greater dependence upon corn for our sows, especially 
if clover makes up a good percentage of the pasture, 
and one who has seen three-weeks-old pigs picking up 
grains of corn as "Old Mammy" wastes them in her haste 
can hardly make himself believe that the pig considers this 
grain hurtful to him. 

As the pig nears the age at which his dam begins to 
tire of his too earnest solicitation — four to five weeks — 
a creep should be provided where he may receive a moder- 
ate grain ration of his own, preparatory to weaning time ; 
for every pound of grain should be carefully looked aftei 
that it be made to produce the greatest profit it is capable 
of producing, and the pig that is getting the bulk of the 
grain as weaning time approaches is making better use of it 
than can a sow making milk that she will soon have no 
use for. 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 23 



CHAPTER VI 



Care and Feeding the Pigs From^ Weaningj to Five 

Months 

The pig that has been taught to eat during the second 
month of its life, while still suckling its mother, is easily 
weaned. That is, with proper feeding it goes on growing 
with little disturbance caused by the removal of its moth- 
er's milk. But neglect or insufficient or improper feeding 
at this time may seriously affect the future growth of the 
pig and the financial results of his production. 

We believe the best time to wean pigs is when they are 
about two months old and the best method, to cut down 
the feed of the mother to a very low point for about three 
days and then separate the sow and pigs completely, so 
that they do not see each other again for at least two or 
three weeks. The sow should be fed very sparingly for a 
week or ten days on dry feed. It is also important that 
the sow be bred again within a week after the pigs are 
taken away. She is almost certain to come in season with 
in a week or less after the pigs are taken away, and if bred 
at this time is more likely to get in pig from this service 
than at any other time. There will be less difficulty in get- 
ting the sows in pig and less "shy breeders" if care is tak- 
en to see that the sows are bred at the first "season" after 
the litters are weaned. 

Careful and Liberal Feeding Highly Important 

There is no time in the life of the pig when careful and 
liberal feed is quite so important as at weaning time. At 
no time during the life of the pig will he make so good 
use of the feed given him as from weaning time to four 
or five months of age. He consumes less because smaller, 
and makes better use of the feed, or gains more in weight 



24 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

on a given quantity of feed than at any later period of his 
life. For these reasons there are those who believe that 
it pays best to feed the pigs to about the limit of their 
capacity from weaning time to marketing. This is pret- 
ty certainly true if much the larger part of the feed to be 
consumed by the pig during its entire life is to be high- 
priced concentrates, fed without pasturage or grazing 
crops. On the other hand, the farmer quite generally 




SPOTTED POLAND-CinXA BOAR 

allows the pigs to go along on rather light feed from wean- 
ing time until corn or other fall crops are ready for feed- 
ing or grazing. 

Under this method the pigs are marketed at an older 
age, and as stated have generally consumed more feed 
for 100 pounds weight than when they are pushed more 
rapidly from weaning time. But when the pigs are large- 
ly grown on crops which they harvest, or on grazing crops, 
it may be most profitable to let them run a few months on 
light feed and make small growth at a period when feeds are 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 



25 



scarce and high-priced if a little later there will be available 
an abundance of much cheaper feeds. In other words, if by 
August 15 to September 1 there will be ready for the spring 
pigs to graze, cowpeas, soy beans or other such crops, it 
may be just as economical to allow them to go along on 
rather light feed and make rather small growth from wean- 
ing time in April or May up until the time the best grazing 
crops mature. But it is pretty certain that it will not be 
found most economical to starve or seriously stunt the 




SPOTTED POLAND-CHINA SOW 

pigs because of the scarcity or the high price of feeds dur- 
ing the early period of their life. As stated, they do not 
consume large quantities of feed at this period — and they 
make good use of what they consume. Therefore, although 
the period — two to four months after weaning — is the most 
difficult one. either for the spring or fall pigs, to furnish 
them cheap feed or suitable grazing crops, it will pay to 
supply them sufficient concentrates to keep them in good 
vigorous growing condition. 

If the weanling pig can have a little skim milk and corn 
with a pasture it will keep growing right through this 



26 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

period until its age and the season is right for the best 
use of grazing crops ; but skim milk is scarce and few pigs 
can have it. In these cases a substitute must be found. 
There is nothing which will quite take its place, but fair- 
ly satisfactory substitutes may be found. We believe that 
the substitute should be produced on the farm and some 
legume for grazing with soy beans or peanuts, or velvet 
beans to mix with the corn, will do the work. But if it is 
found more profitable to sell the soy beans and peanuts 
and buy something else for the young pigs, there is no ob- 
jection to that. Perhaps on the whole there is nothing 
better than a legume pasture and one part off tankage to 
six or seven parts of corn for these growing pigs. These 
will make good growth and produce economical pork 
even at present high prices, if the right sort of grazing 
crops are to be furnished the pigs later. Shorts also fur- 
nish an excellent feed at this time, but is is usually high- 
priced, even higher than tankage and corn and is probably 
no better. 

When the production of peanuts and soy beans shall 
have developed in the South to the extent which their 
value justifies, then we shall have in soy bean and pea- 
nut oil meals concentrates for furnishing protein and bal- 
ancing the corn, which will be a very great aid to econom- 
ical pork production in the South. 

Aim at a Variety of Feeds 

It is pretty certain that it is poor economy to make the 
weanling pigs get along on pasture alone, but it is equally 
certain that he must have some green feed, or much care 
must be taken to give him a suitable variety of feeds that 
will furnish a balanced ration. If given a ration of some 
variety which he relishes and it is properly balanced the 
weanling pig will get along very nicely without grazing, 
for at this period of his life, especially, he can use com- 
paratively small quantities of bulky feeds ; but it will never- 
theless usually be found most economical to furnish even 
the weanling pig with green grazing. 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 27 

The pig requires a certain amount of mineral matter 
to develop his frame or bony structure. If fed on a ration 
containing sufficient nutrients, that is, a balanced ration 
or one containing sufficient protein, he is apt to get all 
the mineral matter required, but to remove this common ex- 
cuse for the failure of our pigs to make proper grov^th and 
to guard against the improbable contingency that there may 
not be enough mineral matter in the full, well balanced 
ration, a mixture of ashes, ground phosphate rock, or acid 
phosphate, 8 parts ; charcoal or soft coal 8 parts and cop- 
peras and common salt one part each should be mixed and 
kept under shelter so that the pigs can run to it and con- 
sume as much as they desire. 

The weanling pigs are often put with dry sows, larger 
shoats and other hogs, when removed from#their mothers. 
We doubt if anything is much worse for the weanling 
pigs than to be put with and fed among a lot of older 
hogs. The weanling pigs should be kept only with pigs 
about their own age, until at least four or five months 
old. 



28 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 



CHAPTER VII 



Grazing Crops for Hogs — Temporary 

The combination of crops in the table below will 
furnish almost twelve months good grazing. It is not 
possible in the northern half of the Cotton Belt to fur- 




IIA.MPSHIRE BOAR 

nish grazing for hogs the entire year when the win- 
ters are the most severe ; but in the southern half of the 
Cotton Belt grazing can be furnished for the hogs every 
day that the land is dry enough to graze and even in the 
northern half of the Belt grazing can be furnished most 
of the time that the land is dry enough to graze during the 
average winter. 

For doing this four or tive fields for grazing special 
crops and a permanent pasture are necessary. Cowpeas or 
velvet beans in every corn field will also prove profitable. 
The permanent pasture should have Bermuda grass, bur 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 29 

clover, white clover (if it will grow), and Japan clover, 
with such other pasture plants as may do well in the sec- 
tion where grown. 

The fields may be cropped as follows, at about the mid- 
dle of the Cotton Belt: 

Field No. 1. — Oats, barley, wheat sowed from Septem- 
ber to November according to the latitude and when the 
land is clear of other crops. This field may be grazed 
during the late fall and winter and spring and may be 
planted to early soy beans between April 15 to May 15, 
and these grazed August and September. 




HAMPSHIRE; sow 

Field No. 2. — Fall-sowed rape, and red clover, or rape 
and crimson clover sowed from the latter part of August 
to October 1, according to the location. If the rape alone 
is used, then spring rape may be sowed in February or 
March, followed by soy beans. If rape and crimson clover 
are used, the crimson clover may be grazed in April and 
May and soy beans planted in May or early in June. If rape 
and red clover are used, then the clover may be grazed up 
into July and the field used for the early seeding of some 
crops for late fall and early winter grazing. 



30 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

Field No. 3, — Oats, barley or wheat, with or without 
a mixture of vetch. These may be g^razed during the win- 
ter, the hogs removed early in the spring and then grazed 
again during May and the first half of June, and followed 
by seeding to soy beans or peanuts. 

Field No. 4. — Spring-sowed rape in February or March, 
followed by sweet potatoes. 

Fiield No. 5. — Oats, wheat, barley, rye or rape, accord- 
ing to which does best and the season at which they can be 
sowed. This field may be grazed during winter and spring 
and planted to peanuts or soy beans in June. 

We regard oats, rape, soy beans and peanuts as the best 
grazing crops for average Southern conditions, but where 
conditions, soil and climate are suitable, wheat or barley 
will produce more grazing than oats. Rape, barley and 
wheat require rich soils. Sorghum may be substituted for 
any of the spring-sowed crops, but is perhaps less valuable 
than any of those mentioned. These crops may be changed 
on the fields, or rotated, as conditions will permit to avoid 
growing any one crop or set of crops on the land year after 
year. The table on the next page will be of service in 
planning these grazing crops for hogs. 

It must be remembered that while a large use of graz- 
ing crops is essential to economical pork production, a 
variety and a balanced ration are nearly as necessary as 
when dry feeds only are used and it is generally best to 
feed some concentrate or grain to all animals from which 
rapid and economical growth is desired. This is especially 
true of suckling sows and young pigs. 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 



31 



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38 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 



CHAPTER VIII 



Grazing Crops for Hogs — Permanent Pastures 

Hog raising, if it is to be a stable, permanent, profitable 
business, should be entered into with the idea of continu- 
ing for a term of years, or better, as a regular part of the 
farm business for the life-time of the farmer. This does 
not mean that the man who strikes it lucky may not make 
some money with hogs as a one-year or a two-year ven- 
ture, but there are ups and downs in the hog business 
the same as any other line of farming, and occasionally. 
if not oftener, the transient hog raiser strikes bumps that 
leave a bad taste in the mouth. These times come to all 
alike, and the advantage that the regular hog raiser has 
over the man who drops in once in a while with a view of 
reaping a fat harvest is that the good times that always 
follow the bad times have a tendency to wipe out the bad 
taste. 

The writer has in years past sold 40-cent corn and good 
clover grazing to three and one-half cent hogs. Then 
6-cent hogs have been fed on 50-cent corn, and another time 
hogs fed 50-cent corn sold at 10 cents, and the past year $1 
to $2.25 corn sold in live hogs at $17.75. So the business 
covering the 25-year period as a whole has been quite prof- 
itable, while if it had been an in-and-out business it quite 
likely would have been a losing game. 

Profits Doubtful Without Permanent Pastures 

Permanent hog raising means for the most of us rais- 
ing pigs from sows that were selected from litters raised 
on the farm in previous years, and to keep brood sows 
year after year a good permanent hog pasture is a prime 
necessity, for such pasture insures the cheapest aged hog 
feed and at the same time insures — other things being 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 33 

equal — the most healthy hogs, and good health in breed- 
ing stock is one of the requisites of profitable hog-raising. 
One of the big reasons why we of the South have not in 
years past raised hogs more extensively is the fact that we 
have not as a rule provided ourselves with good permanani 
hog pastures. Nearly all the men we have known who have 
abandoned hog-raising because of lack of profit are of the 
class that depended upon purchased mill feed and hand-har- 
vested home-grown feeds to maintain their breeding stock 
and feed out the young stufif. It is a fact that over much of 
the South country permanent pastures do not come naturally 
as is the case in much of the country North and West, but 
have to be planted like any other crop. But it is another 
fact that good Southern permanent pastures when once es- 
tablished on good soil and then properly cared for, pro- 
vide enough more feed than do pastures on the same qual- 
ity of soil in other sections, devoted to real permanent 
pasture grasses, to pay well for the extra expense incurred 
m their establishment. 

Take for instance a Bermuda and bur clover pasture in 
the sandy Coastal Plain section. We are confident that pas- 
tures of this sort have come under our observation that 
will provide double the hog feed in a year that a good blue- 
grass pasture of the North will produce — because of the 
more vigorous growth of the Southern plants and the 
much longer period during the year that they may be 
grazed. In the warm Coastal Plain section a really good 
pasture set in Bermuda, bur clover and white clover will 
provide grazing during almost the entire twelve months, 
and this is the sort of a permanent pasture we would recom- 
mend as a standard for all the Coastal Plain section and 
well up into the sections farther North. 

These pastures in this part of our territory may well 
be supplemented with alfalfa pastures in sections where 
that fine legume is a profitable grower, and this means as 
a general proposition the sections where the soil contains 
a goodly portion of lime. Higher up Bermuda is not quite 
so good a pasture as it is in warmer sections, ana bur 



34 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

clover is hardly worth the trouble it costs. However, un- 
til north of the Cotton Belt is reached we would not aban- 
don the use of Bermuda and would supplement with or- 
chard grass on the moist rich alluvial soils and add to this 
mixture common red clover and white clover. 

Land that is to be seeded in permanent pastures to be 
grazed by hogs should be made rich, as plants that are to be 
the most profitably grazed by hogs must be succulent and 
this means they must grow rapidly. 

Some grain will always be fed to hogs grazing on such 
pastures and this will help to maintain the fertility of such 
soils when they have once been made rich. An occasional 
dressing of lime and acid phosphate added to the fertility 
drawn from the air by the legume plants growing on the 
land will cause such pasture fields to increase in fertility 
from year to year and they will in time become the most 
fertile of any fields on the farm and be found to produce as 
great a net profit as any of the cultivated lands. 

Allow no Robber Plants in Pastures 

It goes without saying that the rich sodded fields 
should be allowed to produce no robber plants as bushes; 
briars and weeds have no value as hog feed and so should 
not be allowed to cumber the fields that have been sodded 
and fenced at much epense. 

An excess acreage of permanent hog pasture, that is an 
acreage that will provide ample grazing under the most 
adverse conditions that ever come upon our section should 
be provided for it is an easy matter to turn in a bunch of 
calves or horses to make use of any surplus feed at any 
time. And horses and calves will make use of pasture 
plants that may have become too wftody t© furnish the best 
grazing for hogs. 

Water is as nec«ssary for hogs as is feed, and the more 
convenient it is to the hogs the less the labor expense 
there is involved, and the more regularly will the hogs' 
needs be supplied in the majority of cases. When running 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 35 

water can be had in the permanent hog pasture, and good 
sanitary conditions be maintained, an ideal condition is 
obtained. 

The all-spring stream that originates on the farm and 
that flows through the permanent pasture provides splen- 
did watering facilities at the minimum expense, and, too, 
the moist soils that usually border such streams insure 
a constant supply of succulence all summer long. We do 
not favor, however, making hog pastures along larger 
streams that originate on lands not under control of the 
hog grower because of the danger of the hogs becoming 
infected with disease that may be present on the lands that 
lie along the upper water -shed, and that may be and often 
is brought to the hogs by the water flowing through the 
hog pastures. Another objection to the large stream flow- 
ing through the permanent hog pasture is the trouble there 
is to maintain water gates that will restrain the old hogs. 
It is very irritating, as the writer knows from experience, 
to awake in the morning after a rainy night and find a 
bunch of old sows have gone out on the flood and are 
frantically engaged in tearing down a field of fine corn that 
is just in the roasting-ear stage. When a large stream is 
the only one available run the hog lot fence so as to fence 
the stream out of the pasture and provide water from wells 
or springs for use of the hogs. 

Good bathing facilities for hogs in the permanent pas- 
ture are desirable, and where the small spring stream is not 
available the concrete bathing pool, well built, will last for 
many years and cost little when its long years of usefulness 
is considered. (See illustration on page 64.) 

4 



3(i HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 



CHAPTER IX 



Grains, Concentrates and Other Dry Feeds for Hogs 

Thinking" upon the matter of grains for hogfs, our 
thoughts turn naturally to corn — the greatest of all hog- 
feeding grains. That this great cereal will always hold a 
prominent place in the hog-feeding business few will have 
the wish to attempt to deny, when it is remembered, that 
the great hog-raising lousiness of the world found its in- 
spiration in the bountiful corn fields and bulging cribs oi 
the natural corn growing sections of the New World. 

True, hogs have been raised in limited numbers for 
thousands of years, but it was only when the rich soils of 
Ohio and other Middle Western states began to send up 
their great harvests of corn that the hog came into his. 
own and made for himself a place in the sun. His natural 
adaptation to a corn diet and the efficient use he makes of 
this grain — a more ecenomical use than any other of our 
meat-producing animals — accounts in a great measure for 
his popularity as a corn condenser. 

The ease and economy with which corn may be fed to 
hogs has had its part in making this grain the great uni- 
versal hog feed. Hogs make economical use of corn when 
they are allowed to go afield and pull down their rations 
from the stalks of the "giant grass." Again when the wagon 
brings the great loads of grain from the field or crib and 
it goes direct to a clover or grass sod and is shoveled out 
to the hogs, the last particle of it is made good use of. 
Then, too, when the hogs gather around the self-feeder, 
in which the shelled corn or ears work down as the troughs 
are emptied, much pork results for the feed and labor ex- 
pended. And when the feeder brings the ears of corn 
from the crib and throws them on the dry ground, the 
clean sod, or the feeding floor, pork is always assured, pro- 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 37 

vided the hogs in every case have been properly grown 
and are in good health. 

But modern feeding directed by the light thrown upon 
the subject by modern science, demands that an if enter in- 
to the matter of corn feeding to hogs, where any of the 
above methods are used, if the best results are sought. 
The hogs that find their corn feed right at hand in the field 
will make far more economical use of the precious grain 
if they find an abundance of soy beans growing m the 
rows with the corn or planted between the rows. And 
when the corn goes to the sod land to be fed the hogs will 
be on the lookout between times for a fresh bite of clover in 
the feeding field, or will be wandering at regular times oui 
into the adjacent field where soy beans or cowpeas are 
growing in all their freshness or waiting in their ma- 
tured richness. Then the same thing is true where the 
hogs secure their corn feed from a self-feeder, or when it 
is furnished in a more conservative manner from the crib. 

The why of all this is that corn, while it is our greatest 
carbohydrate or fat producer for hog-feeding", is lacking in 
the protein or muscle builder that is a most necessary part 
of a well-rounded economical hog feed. And as young 
growing hogs require more of this muscle and bone builder 
than do the more mature feeding hogs, it naturally follows 
that the farther the hog is from slaughtering time the more 
of this protein feed he should be required to consume in 
proportion to the corn he uses. 

For this reason we do not approve of hogging down 
corn or using the self-feeder for pigs under 100 pounds in 
weight; preferring rather to furnish such proportion of 
corn as our judgment warrants us in feeding, and allow- 
ing the pigs to gather from the fields enough ai the 
protein feeds to satisfy their desires. And there is the 
other reason, too, that the protein feeds that are produced 
wihout cultivation make less expensive pork than do' those 
feeds that require cultivation for their growing. 

This last applies equally well to the breeding hogs that 
are being carried along from year to year ; their needs be- 



38 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 



ing the retaining of a strong, hard, muscular condition 
maintained at the least expense. And this is an indication 
that there should be established in many sections of 
our territory where corn is not as economically grown 
as in others, great pig breeding grounds from which the 
half-grown hogs could be shipped to sections that are bet- 
ter adapted to the growth of the great finishing cereal. 

Little difficulty need be experienced in providing dry 
grains for the use of hogs during the fall and early win- 
ter months, for during this season soy beans and cowpeas 




CHESTER WHITE BOAR 

come to their fruiting and may be harvested direct from the 
fields. Later in the winter, and during the early spring 
and summer months, more difficulty and expense is ex- 
perienced in providing a balanced dry grain ration for hogs. 
This would indicate that the logical time for growing 
the pigs is late summer, fall and early winter, and the 
best finishing time late winter, spring and early summer; 
for during these times enough of green protein feeds 
can be produced, during average seasons, to furnish suf- 
ficient protein to balance the corn ration, especially if cot- 
tonseed meal be used for the last 30 days of the finishing 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 39 

period. But while this would seem the logical arrange- 
ment for the most economical hog production, the great 
bulk of the hogs in our territory are still being finished 
during the fall and early winter. And to handle the shoats 
during the spring and summer provisions should be made 
for dry grain rich in protein with which to supplement the 
corn and pasture ration to the necessary extent. In sec- 
tions where wheat is being grown to any great extent 
some shorts is available for this purpose, although the 
amount available was never of large volume. 




CHESTER white; sow 

It is of interest, however, to know that we have a feed 
of known value, that may be produced in practically every 
section of our territory at small cost for seed and culti- 
vating, that produces grain in paying quantities and that 
may be harvested at small expense. Reference is had to the 
soy bean, and we believe this grain should be grown so 
extensively in our section that ample stores of the threshed 
grain would be available to act as a running mate with 
corn for use as pig feed during the early part of the year 
following that in which the crop is produced. These 
two, corn and soy beans, we consider the two great uni- 



40 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

versal hog grains of our territory. Another that perhaps 
has not as yet fully proved itself is the velvet bean, and 
it is hoped that ways will be worked out to make this 
great largely grown legume one that can be recommended 
unconditionally as a hog grain. 

Peanuts for Sandy Land 

The peanut, in sections where it is being produced 
commercially, has proved its value as a fall and winter 
protein grain, and giving the best account of itself when 
supplemented with corn. But the growing of peanuts for 
hog-harvested feed will ever, I believe, be confined to the 
sandy sections of our territory, because of the fact that 
the crop is not at home on clay soils, and the harvesting 
of the crop by hogs on such soils is not practicable save 
during the dry early fall season. Considerable trouble has 
come to my notice in the hogging out of peanuts through 
the hogs acquiring the dirt-eating habit. This trouble 
might be overcome by supplying the hogs with plenty of 
lime and phosphorus, when in the peanut fields, and also 
feeding more corn. In spite, however, of some loss from 
the above cause, peanuts, in the sandy sections, are prov- 
ing to be a great hog grain, and the field of their use may 
be widely extended in our territory. Our greatest present 
need, however, aside from that of a larger number of hogs, 
is for a greatly increased acreage of hog feed, rich in pro- 
tein, that may be harvested and the grain stored for use 
in supplementing corn and pasture during the late winter, 
spring and early summer. And nothing now in sight can 
quite so well meet this condition, in our opinion, as the 
soy bean. 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 41 



CHAPTER X 



Growing the Pigs for Pork 

The growing of pigs for pork production is quite a dif- 
ferent proposition from growing them for breeding stock, 
in that a somewhat closer looking after costs is required in 
the former case than is required in the latter. Breeding 
stock sells generally at a considerable advance over the 
price that market pigs command and, taking the two classes 
of pigs at the same age on the farm, it is readily seen that 
extra expense that would not mean loss to the grower of 
pigs for breeding stock would mean disaster to the pork 
producer from the standpoint of immediate profit. 

In other words, the pig that is being produced for breed- 
ing purposes is a higher-class product and the business can 
stand some added expense in the way of care and high- 
priced feed. This added expense may not be required in 
the proper growing out of breeding stock under ordinary 
conditions, and when this is the case larger profits follow 
this line of work as a matter of course. But there are times 
that for the proper development of the breeding pigs extra 
expense is required, and this necessity tends to balance the 
two lines of business, giving to those engaged in the two 
lines of work an equal chance at a fair profit for the labor 
and feed used. 

Fancy Points May Be Eliminated 

In all breeds of livestock there are certain fancy points 
that the producer of breeding stock must give attention to 
that make for more expensive females and that mean very 
little to one whose interest lies only in the profitable produc- 
tion of only one generation of meat-producers. The wide- 
awake grower of market pigs takes advantage of this fact, 
and when it is necessary for him to purchase pure-bred sows 



42 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 



his main attention is devoted to securing in the sows he 
buys only the essential points that go to make up a prof- 
itable breeding sow, such for example as size, length, depth 
of side, development of ham, udder development, disposi- 
tion, etc. If the sow under consideration has a nose a half- 
inch too long, dips a wee bit in the top line, is a trifle off 
in color, etc., this doesn't concern the buyer greatly if by 
reason of these non-essential points, he may purchase ai 
50 per cent less than he would be obliged to pay for an 




YORKSHIRE BOAR 

animal not showing these minor defects. He takes the sow 
home figuring correctly that he has saved three or four 
dollars per head on the cost of the pigs produced in the 
sow's first litter. 

Again, he saves labor cost when the pigs are small in 
that individual attention is not such a necessary factor in 
the handling of the pig that is to go on the open market 
before he is one year old ; for minor accidents, that would 
disqualify a pig for breeding stock, will not bother his 
porker when he is ready for the butcher. So the market pigs 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 43 

may be handled in large droves generally, which means 
economy of labor. This means far more to the average 
farmer at times than the mere cost of the time involved at 
day w^ages ; for there are many times on the farm when an 
extra hour's time taken from the farm work may mean $50 
to $100 loss to the farmer. 



YORKSHIRE SOW 



44 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 



CHAPTER XI 



Growing the Pigs for Breeding Stock 

What are the differences in the care and feeding ot 
pigs to be used for breeding purposes and those for pork 
making? Both must be produced on the same economical 
basis, that is, largely on feeds grown on the farm and as 
largely as practicable on grazing crops which the pigs 
harvest. Many breeders of pure-bred hogs lose sight of 
this fact, and consequently find the business unprofitable 
and quit it. Up to the time the pigs are, say, five months 
old, there is perhaps no need for or advantage in making 
any material difference in the kind or amount of feed which 
is given to breeding stock and that given to pigs raised 
for pork. The different "standards" all pretty well agree 
that pigs two or three months of age, or the first month 
after weaning, require a narrower ration or one containing 
a larger per cent of protein — about 1 part of digestible pro- 
tein to 4 or 4^/^ parts of carbohydrates and fats. This 
applies to stock for pork-making as well as that to be 
used for breeding purposes. Also from three to five months 
of age, while the pigs need a little smaller proportion of 
protein, about 1 to 5, both pork and breeding stock require 
about the same amounts and kinds of feed. 

Feed After Five Months 

But when the pigs reach the age of about five months, 
then differences are possibly necessary, or at least are 
permissible. 

In the production of pork two courses are open. The 
pigs from five to eight or ten months of age may be carried 
along on just enough feed to keep them growing a little 
without any attempt to push them or finish them by the 
time they are ten or twelve months old. This plan is 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 45 

often most economical when feeds at this particular time 
are scarce and high-priced ; if a little later, cheap feeds in 
abundance, which the hogs may gather themselves, will 
be available. For instance, in the South, during June, 
July and August only the general pastures may be avail- 
able for grazing the hogs, and if they are to be pushed at 
this time large quantities of high-priced and often pur- 
chased feeds must be used. In such a case it may be more 
economical in pork production to feed only just enough 
grain to keep the pigs growing a little and wait until soy 
beans, peanuts, cowpeas. velvet beans and corn are avail- 
able for hogging down. 

But with breeding stock to be sold for breeding pur- 
poses it is the best policy and the most profitable to keep 
the pigs from five to eight or ten months of age growing 
rapidly. We often hear the young breeder cautioned 
against overfeeding, or against pushing the breeding stock 
too rapidly ; but this warning is not often necessary in 
the South, nor, in our observation, anywhere else if the 
pigs are fed a balanced ration and get the necessary exer- 
cise. In fact, we doubt if it is possible to push young 
breeding stock too fast if they are fed the right sort o, 
feed in the right way. If the ration has sufficient protein 
and mineral matter, sufficient but not too much bulk, fur- 
nished by either grazing or roots, and the pigs get a liberal 
amount of exercise, there is no danger of either pushing 
them too fast or getting breeding hogs under a year old 
too fat. There are a thousand pigs injured in the South 
by not getting sufficient protein, to one that is injured by 
getting too much feed. A pig may get too much corn, 
although corn is a good feed when balanced with legume 
grazing and tankage or some other protein concentrate. 
It is not often, however, that pigs get too much corn, but 
very frequently they get too little protein feed to balance 
the corn. 

In order to insure the growth and size, so hard to main- 
tain in any livestock, and at the same time get or maintain 
the desired quality, it is necessary that the producer of 



46 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

hogs for breeding purposes push the growth of his pigs 
during the first year of their lives. He cannot afford to 
allow them to stand still or make little growth during any 
of the first year. 

Many believe that the same is true of the pork hog, 
but the writer is convinced that from an economic stand- 
point, which is the all-important one in pork production, 
that a period of slow growth, provided it occurs after the 
pig is five or six months old, may be justified in pork pro- 
duction if by so doing the use of high-priced concentrates 
may be lessened and cheaper grazing crops utilized later. 

Of course, the aim in both pork production and the 
growing of breeding stock should be to have the pigs come 
at such a time that when the largest quantities of feeds 
are required there shall be the largest possible quantity 
of cheap feeds available for them. But the point is that 
the grower of breeding stock must feed well during the 
entire first year, while the producer of pork can ease over 
periods of scarce and high-priced feeds, if the hogs are 
over five or six months of age, and cheaper feeds are 
available a little later. 

During the first month after weaning is perhaps the 
most critical period of the pig's development, or at least 
this is probably the most difficult period to get good 
growth, and the next two months, or the period from three 
to five months of age, is only a little less important or 
difficult. 

To get good growth the first month after weaning with- 
out skim milk requires a master hand in the art of pig- 
feeding. The Northern feeder has depended largely on 
wheat shorts. The Southern feeder has also bought shorts 
shipped from the North at too high a price. Now when 
obtainable shorts are much too high-priced. 

Soy Beans the Best Protein Concentrate 

As stated elsewhere, we are convinced that for the South 
the soy bean must be the protein concentrate for pig-feeding. 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 47 

Soy beans may be too high priced, but this can only con- 
tinue if we continue to grow them in insufficient quantities. 
If they are grown in large quantities and still remain high- 
priced because of the demand for the oil, then they should 
still be grown and sold or exchanged for soy bean meal or 
other protein concentrates. We think every acre of land 
good enough to grow 25 bushels of corn — and no other 
should be planted to corn — should have- soy beans planted 
along with the corn in every row. Poorer lands should be 
planted in soy beans without the corn or with corn and 
velvet beans or some other suitable legume. 

We think every pig from two to five months old in- 
tended for breeding purposes should have either some 
skim milk or a little tankage, along with corn and soy 
beans, and grazing in summer or when practicable, and 
when no grazing is available a small amount of some kind 
of roots. With these and mineral matter, supplied in the 
form of wood ashes or ground phosphate rock, good 
growth may be made. This is not a difficult schedule: 

Tankage. 

Corn. 

Soy beans. 

Grazing or roots. 

Ashes. 

Exercise. 

The tankage alone should be purchased, and it may be 
omitted if a little skim milk is available. 

After the pigs are five months old the tankage or skim 
milk may be omitted, if the other feeds are supplied, al- 
though it may be advisable to feed a little tankage at all 
times. 

Of course, there are other feeds, some of them just as 
good but none better, but we have not the space to discuss 
them and these we are convinced are the most economical 
for the Southern breeder. Moreover, if these feeds are given 
in abundance and the pigs fail to make good growth it will 
not be due to the feeds, but to some fault in the manner of 
feeding and care or in the breeding. 



48 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

Three other essentials may be mentioned: 

First, too large numbers of pigs should not be kept to- 
gether if the best growth is to be obtained, and, particularly, 
pigs of different sizes should not be fed or housed together, 
while boar and sow pigs should be separated early. 

Second, lots should be changed and houses moved if not 
such as can be thoroughly disinfected. The best protection 
against worms and disease is fresh lots and clean, dry sleep- 
ing quarters. 

Third, the dipping vat and concrete or other sanitary 
wallow, or some other means of keeping the hogs free of 
lice and their skin in good condition, may be regarded as 
essential where more than the smallest numbers are kept. 

But the Southern breeder's success in producing accept- 
able breeding stock depends most of all on feeds — feeds in 
abundance, feeds of the right kinds, and produced on the 
farm, not purchased. 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 49 



CHAPTER XII 



Fattening the Hogs 

Pork production with the great majority of farmers and 
professional feeders is and will ever be based upon profit, 
and profit should be come at from several standpoints. With 
the professional feeder there is generally only one fact on 
which profit hangs, namely, turning feed into partly grown 
hogs in such a manner as to secure as many or more dollars 
than the feeds are worth on the market during the feeding 
period. This is always more or less of a gambling operation 
under any condition, and is a business that should not be 
undertaken by one who has not a reserve of capital toi draw 
on in case the game should go against him for some reason. 
With the farmer the case is somewhat different, for he 
generally grows the hogs he feeds and the feed the hogs 
consume, and this is almost always a safe business ; for if 
the feed consumed runs too high in price to make the feed- 
ing operation profitable he has the profit on growing the 
pigs and also the profit derived from growing the too high- 
priced feed. Then the farmer feeder too has the fertility left 
on the land after the feeding period to partially recompense 
him for any loss he may have sustained in turning the feed 
into pork. And this is no inconsiderable item when viewed 
in a broad sense ; for every bushel of corn fed on the farm 
under proper conditions leaves — at the present price of plant 
food — around 25 cents worth of fertility in the form of 
available plant food, and too, an added amount of nitrogen 
is left in the soil that was drawn from the air through the 
growth of the legume plants produced for the use of the 
hogs and that were only partially consumed by the animals. 

Young Hogs Give Biggest Returns for Feed 

Unless, as sometimes happens, the hog-grower finds 
himself long on pasture crops and very short on finishing 



50 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

feeds, the writer believes in fattening pigs ; that is, tak- 
ing the good growthy 100-pound to 150-pound shoat and in 
about 90 to 120 days making him into the finished hog of 
from 180 to 225 pounds. Any one of three methods may 
be used in hog finishing. The method that the average 
farmer makes use of more than any other is to have the 
shoats running on good legume and grass pastures, then 
carry or haul to these pastures what corn the hogs will 
clean up and still feel able to eat just a little more. 

The only suggestion added to make such a pasture a lit- 
tle more profitable would be to add to the corn feed a light 
feed of soy bean meal during the first 60 or 90 days, or if 
this product be not available, substitute 1 part of tankage to 
10 parts by weight of corn, then for the last 30 or 40 days 
of the feeding period substitute cottonseed meal for the 
other protein feeds, as this is generally somewhat cheaper 
considering the protein furnished and, too, is more available 
in almost every section of our territory at all times of the 
year. The fattening hog, as the end of the feeding period 
approaches, becomes too lazy to harvest suflficient protein 
feed in the shape of legume pasture to supply this ingredi- 
ent in the right proportion to enable him to make the best 
use of the corn he consumes, while if it be furnished him 
in more available form he will generally use it along with 
the corn. 

We always prefer to feed hogs in a pasture rather than 
in a pen, first because we believe meat so produced to be 
more wholesome ; and, second, that by such a method of 
feeding the manure produced is scattered over the land and 
saved, while when fed in the pen on ninety farms out of a 
hundred the greater part of this valuable by-product is 
wasted. When, however, hogs are fed during January and 
February the best method is probably to pen the hogs, 
providing comfortable sleeping quarters and a solid floor 
on which to feed the grain. We have never practiced feed- 
ing hogs in the mud, for it never appealed to us as being a 
common sense practice. 

Another method of feeding that is becoming more 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 51 

popular as labor becomes more high-priced is to provide 
self-feeders in the fields and, after the hogs have been 
gradually brought up to about full feed, allowing them to 
help themselves from the feeders v^^henever the desire is 
upon them. In this case the same balanced ration should 
be supplied as when the feeding is done twice per day by 
hand, the additional protein feed being supplied in a sep- 
arate apartment of the feeder, thus allowing the hogs to do 
their own balancing. (See Chapter XIII.) 

Let the Hogs Do the Harvesting 

A method of finishing that will appeal to the large corn- 
grower and hog-feeder and one that is giving good results, 
considering the feed consumed and the labor saved, is to 
allow the hogs to harvest corn and soy beans right in the 
field, helping themselves from the standing stalks. This 
method when practiced on land of a clay nature requires 
that the shoats be ready to turn into the fields just as soon 
as the corn becomes hard and have the finishing complete 
by January 1, for the tramping of the hogs is very injurious 
to the land during the winter months, and too, much feed 
will be tramped in and wasted after the land becomes 
muddy. In sections having sandy soils this objection does 
not hold, and hogs may do the work of harvesting all winter 
provided warm sleeping quarters are furnished for the hogs 
in times when work in the field does not demand their 
attention. When planting corn to be harvested in this man- 
ner, it is well to plant the corn and then with a shoe planter 
go over the rows again within two or three days planting 
about five to six quarts of soy beans. We have used this 
method of planting a number of times with good results 
every time. Or, if thought best, when land is not very 
fertile a one-horse planter may be used, planting a row of 
corn and then a row of beans, thus spacing the rows of corn 
seven or eight feet apart. Many are now using a planter 
which will drop the corn and the soy beans in the same 
row at the same time but at different points and depths. 

To harvest these crops to the best. advantage the neces- 
sary amount of temporary fencing should be on hand to 



53 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

enable the farmer to feed off the crop in blocks, running 
about 10 hogs to the acre until a block is cleared up, then 
moving to another block. By this arrangement, too, the 
wetter parts of a field can be handled first, leaving the 
dryer portion for use later w^hen the land is not in quite so 
good condition. Our main objection to this method of 
harvesting — an objection that has kept us from the use of 
the method to any great extent up to this time — is that a 
vast amount of valuable fodder is v^asted when crops are 
hogged down — fodder that we have up to this time been 
able to save in shock and cock with very great profit for 
our cattle feeding. Of course when the corn is husked from 
the standing stalk no fodder of any account is saved, and 
there is no good reason for husking such crops when the 
grain is to be fed to the hogs. 

Fattening the Hogs Cheaply in the Fall 

If the hogs are to be fattened cheaply in the fall, they 
must be well bred and carried along until fall in a strong, 
growing condition. While the kinds and amounts of feed 
are probably the most important factors in fattening the 
hogs cheaply in the fall, breeding is also of importance, and 
the condition of the hogs when fattening begins must be 
such as will enable them to use the cheap feeds econom- 
ically. 

If the hog is to be fed exclusively or even mainly on 
harvested or purchased concentrates, it is pretty well estab- 
lished that the more rapidly his growth is pushed from start 
to finish, or from the beginning to the end of his life, the 
more economically is the pork produced. But if the hog is 
fattened or fed the last three or four months of his life 
largely on feeds which he himself harvests or gathers, or if 
he can be fattened on very much cheaper feeds than can be 
provided for making rapid growth at other times, it may 
pay to carry the pigs along making small or slow gains 
until the cheaper feeds are available for finishing. In other 
words, slow growth with a minimum of high-priced con- 
centrates and a maximum of cheaper grazing crops from the 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 63 

time the pig is four to seven months of age may be justified 
if very much cheaper feeds for finishing will be available 
later. 

Don't Let the Pigs Stop Growing 

But it is doubtful if it will ever be found profitable to 
allow the pigs to stop growing at any period of their lives 
if economical pork is to be produced. 

The fall litters that are carried through the winter may 
be pushed throughout their entire lives until ready for mar- 
ket, or they may be fed liberally until spring, and then 
grazed and fed only a small amount of concentrates during 
the spring and early summer until cheaper early fall grazing 
crops like corn, peanuts, soy beans, cowpeas, velvet beans, 
etc., become available. This is probably the most economic- 
al method of handling the fall litters. 

For the spring litters, however, liberal feeding and rapid 
growth from birth to marketing is almost certainly the most 
economical method of handling. In so far as the spring 
litters are concerned, they should have an abundance of 
feed all the time, but the problem is to furnish this abun- 
dance of feed suitable for making rapid growth at the least 
cost. Unquestionably grazing crops are essential to this 
purpose, but concentrates must also be used rather liberally 
at all times. But if the pigs are brought through the sum- 
mer in a good growthy or thriving condition on an econom- 
ical basis and are well bred, that is have a pure-bred sire, 
then the problem of fall fattening is not a difficult one in 
the South, for the finishing can probably be done more 
economically than in any of the large hog-producing sec- 
tions of the country. 

Suitable Feeds Harvested by Hogs 

In short, the greatest difficulty in economical pork pro- 
duction in the South is in bringing the pigs up to the time 
of fall fattening in a condition to make economical growth, 
rather than in fattening or finishing economically. South- 
ern hogs, especially the fall litters or those approaching a 



54 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

year old, should be marketed in the late fall or early winter 
in order that they may get on the market ahead of the hogs 
fattened on the large corn crops of the Northern states. The 
spring litters should be run on the grazing crops later on 
until weather conditions or the exhaustion of the crops 
makes grazing no longer practicable. After this, they may 
be fed for an additional period of four to six weeks on corn 
and cottonseed meal. 

It may be set down, first, that when the hogs gather 
or harvest their own feed, growth is produced more eco- 
nomically. But it is essential that they be given an oppor- 
tunity to gather an abundance of suitable feeds. In other 
words, the crops which they are to gather must be easily 
gathered by the hogs and must be suitable for producing 
rapid growth. Of these about the only ones we need to 
consider for fattening the hogs in the fall are peanuts, soy 
beans, corn and possibly sweet potatoes. In the extreme 
South, or the lower third of the Cotton Belt, velvet beans 
p~.ay be added and when grown in corn cowpeas may also 
rurnish good, economical feed. As to whether the hogs 
should be allowed to gather the corn is a debatable ques- 
tion. It is pretty well established that hogs make more 
economical gains if, while they are on soy beans and pea- 
nuts, the corn is limited to one-fourth or one-half of a full 
ration ; but if corn and soy beans are being grazed in the 
same field, that is if corn and soy beans are being hogged 
off together, it is pretty certain that the hogs prefer the corn 
and make it more than half their ration as long as it lasts. 
For these reasons some good hog producers prefer to gather 
the corn and feed it sparingly, say not over one-fourth the 
ration while the hogs are grazing the peanuts or soy beans. 

On stiff lands and in the northern half of the Cotton 
Belt, we think there is no doubt but soy beans in corn, 
either in the same rows with the corn, which we think pre- 
ferable ; or in alternate rows, which is preferred by some, 
is the most satisfactory crop for the economical fattening 
of the hogs in the fall. And we would gather enough of 
the corn to continue the feeding of the hogs for from four to 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 55 

six weeks on corn and cottonseed meal after the soy beans 
have been consumed. It is quite possible that sweet po- 
tatoes may be profitably added to the corn and soy beans, 
because of their succulence. In the lower South, or the 
southern half of the Cotton Belt, especially on the lighter 
or sandy soils, peanuts, corn and velvet beans are perhaps 
the crops most valuable for fattening the hogs cheaply in 
the fall or early winter. In short, for fall fattening, pea- 
nuts and corn in the lower South, and soy beans and corn 
in the upper South, must be the chief reliance of the South- 
ern farmer from the standpoint of economy. While these 
feeds have pretty well established themselves as the most 
economical for finishing or fattening hog.^ in the South, 
the fact that both peanuts and soy beans tend to produce 
soft pork, when used as a large part of the ration, has 
caused some doubt as to the economy of their use in hog 
production. But if a small amount of corn — one-fourth to 
one-half the ration — is used while the hogs are grazing pea- 
nuts and soy beans, and they are then finished with corn 
and cottonseed meal — two or three parts of corn to one 
part of cottonseed meal — for four to six weeks, there is 
little doubt but peanuts and soy beans are our cheapest 
feeds for fattening hogs in the fall. 

If, therefore, the hogs are to be cheaply fattened in the 
fall the crops must be grown for them, and spring is the 
time to arrange for planting them. The weight of opinion 
probably favors planting soy beans in the same rows with 
the corn at the time the corn is planted ; but there are 
those who prefer to plant the corn and soy beans in alter- 
nate rows. When corn and peanuts are planted in the same 
field they are usually planted in alternate rows, but it is 
not necessary that the corn be grown in the same field 
with soy beans or peanuts. As previously stated, some 
prefer to harvest the corn so that it can be fed to the hogs 
in limited quantity, because soy beans and peanuts are 
cheaper feeds as these crops are grown in the South, But 
there is little doubt but more feed is produced per acre 
when the crops are grown together, either in the same rows 
or in alternate rows. 



56 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

If a substitute for corn can be furnished at less cost, 
this will tend to cheapen the fattening process. Corn is a 
hig"h-priced and high-cost feed in the South, because of 
the small yields made per acre. And to still further reduce 
the necessity for corn for furnishing carbohydrates, many 
have found sweet potatoes an economical substitute for a 
part of the corn. They are worthy of a thorough trial, for 
with soy beans, peanuts and cottonseed meal to supply the 
protein required, they furnish a large amount of carbohy- 
drates at relatively low cost. It is doubtful, however, if 
they should entirely take the place of corn in fattening^ the 
hogs when peanuts or soy-beans form the larger part of 
the ration. Of course, in those sections where the grain 
sorghums actually do or should take the place of corn, the 
grain may be ground and used to balance the soy beans 
or peanuts just as corn is used for that purpose. Next in 
importance to these economical feeds used to form a bal- 
anced ration for the fattening hogs is an abundant supply 
of good water for drinking. Fattening hogs should also be 
supplied with ample mineral matter — soft coal or charcoal, 
wood ashes or ground phosphate rock, slaked lime, etc. 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 67 



CHAPTER XIII 



The Self-Feeder for Hogs 

The use of the self-feeder is rapidly becoming popular, 
especially for the fattening or finishing of hogs, or when it 
is desired to full feed the growing pigs on concentrates. 
It does not solve feeding problems in hog production, but 
in finishing hogs *it saves labor and by a little daily care 
in looking after the self-feeder the inexperienced hog feeder 
can get as good and economical gains as the most experi- 
enced feeder. 

At the experiment stations where accurate weights and 
other data are kept, the use of the self-feeder appears to 
result in larger daily gains and a larger consumption of 
feed than when the hogs are hand-fed. In some cases the 
amount of feed consumed per pound of gain has also been 
less, but on the whole probably good hand-feeding will 
produce a pound of growth or gain on about the same 
quantity of feed as is required when the self-feeder is used. 
But it requires good experienced hand-feeding and much 
more labor to equal the results obtained by the self-feeder. 
But the self-feeder must also have daily attention to see 
that it contains all the feeds in sufficient quantity and is 
working properly. 

If a proper variety of feeds are put in the self-feeder 
the hog will balance his own ration, to suit his individual 
taste and needs, probably better than can be done in hand- 
feeding. He will, with suitable feeds, eat more and make 
faster gains than when hand-fed two or three times a day, 
but a proper variety must be placed in the self-feeder and 
the feeds must be acceptable to the hog and of such a 
nature as to enable him to make a balanced ration for him- 
self. Almost any feed commonly used in hog feeding may 
be used in a self-feeder, but shelled corn is more suitable 



58 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

than ear corn. Ear corn may be fed, but it requires a large 
self-feeder with special adjustments for allowing the coarser 
material to come down where the hogs may get it. Most 
self-feeders will give a continuous supply of shelled corn, 
but some of them will not work satisfactorily with tankage, 
cottonseed meal, shorts, or ground grains. In any case 
some care must be taken to regulate the supply for if any 
one feed does not come down fast enough the hogs may 
suffer, while if the feeds come down too fast they are 
likely to be wasted by the hogs rooting them out on the 
ground. 

Some users of the self-feeder mix the ♦feeds in the pro- 
portions which experimental evidence shows to be about 
right ; and if a suitable variety is used and the feeds bal- 
anced according to the best information and experience 
entirely satisfactory results are obtained. But probably 
the best plan is to use a self-feeder with two or three sep- 
arate compartments, placing each feed by itself and allow- 
ing the hog to suit his own taste and balance his own 
ration, which he will do in an entirely satisfactory manner. 
In fact, if the feeds are equally palatable to him, or if he 
likes all of them, he will balance his ration, as a general 
rule, pretty nearly as the best hand-feeders balance them. 

One of the strong points of the self-feeder is that it 
enables the pig to balance his feeds according to his vary- 
ing needs, for his requirements change as he in^creases in 
age and weight. A good illustration of this is given in 
circular No. 218 of the Illinois Experiment Station in 
recording the amounts of shelled corn and tankage eaten 
per day, per pig during different periods of their growth, 
as follows : 

Ratio of 

Shelled Corn Tankage Tankage 

Pounds Pounds to Corn 

1st Period (4 weeks) 2.1 .40 1 to 5.25 

2nd Period (4 weeks) 2.7 .47 1 to 5.74 

3rd Period (4 weeks) 3.8 .54 1 to 7 

4th Period (4 weeks) 5.6 .44 1 to 12.7 

5th Period (4 weeks) 7.2 .36 1 to 20 

6th Period (24 days) 7.3 .26 1 to 28 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 59 

These pigs weighed -i? pounds each when the feeding 
lest started and after IGi days averaged 2o\) pounds each, 
thus making a gain of 1.29 pounds per day. Kach pig ate 
an average of -±.72 pounds of corn and A2o pounds of tank- 
age per day and gained l.:^9 pounds, or it required 3.G5 
pounds of corn and .'626 pounds of tankage to make a pound 
of gain, which must be regarded as very satisfactory re- 
sults for a feeding period of 164 days. 

When grazing crops are abundant and cheap the self- 
feeder as a means of supplying the concentrates may not 
give the most economical results. If, however, it is de- 
sired to give a full feed of grain while the hogs are on 
grazing crops the self-feeder proves most satisfactory. For 
brood sows or other breeding stock the self-feeder should 
not generally be used. But for young, growing, breeding 
stock, which it is desired to push in growth, a ration with 
a liberal allowance of protein and mineral matter might 
be mixed and placed in a self-feeder and much labor in 
feeding saved. If, however, the feeds be put in different 
compartments of a self-feeder and one of these feeds is 
corn, the pigs are likely to eat too much corn because of 
their greater fondness for it, and some of them may thereby 
put on too much fat instead of making the growth best 
for breeding stock. Moreover, young breeding stock al- 
lowed all the feed they will take from a self-feeder may 
not get the exercise which is necessary for the best growth, 
even though the feeds be properly balanced for the making 
of growth. 

In starting hogs on a self-feeder they should be gradu- 
ally brought up to a full feed before being given free access 
to the self-feeder. Sudden changes in the kinds of feed 
when the animals are given all they will take, or suddenly 
changing from light rations to full ones should always be 
avoided in feeding all animals. 

Plans for a self-feeder furnished by Prof. Daniels Scoates, 
Texas Agricultural College, are herewith given. It is shown 
with two compartments, one on either side. It is capable 
of feeding four hogs at one time, as shown, two on each 
side. It is also capable of holding two different kinds of 



60 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 



feed, and about one bushel of each. This feeder can be 
built in any length that is wanted, to accommodate any 
number of different feeds and any number of hogs. It can 
also be built in just half the size shown, using only one 
compartment. 




To enable the farmer to build this without much trouble, 
there are three views of it given. One view shows a cross- 
section, which is a view of the feeder cut in two. In this 
view the floor, sills, partitions, doors, roof and rollers can 
be seen in their true position. Another view is of the feeder 
without the roof and the sliding doors ; while the third is 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 



61 



a view of the completed feeder with one of the doors in the 
roof opened and one of the sliding dors pulled partly 
out. 

In building this feeder, it will be better to use all dressed 
and sound lumber and to give it a couple of coats of paint 
before using. This should be done, as the feeder must be 
weather proof, and to last long under this condition it must 
be well made. 

The door is made of 2xl2's, the partition, sliding doors, 
roof and sides are made of flooring. The sliding doors are 
made adjustable by having a slotted hole put in the door 
stop and a hole through the door ; a bolt with a winged nut 
is put in these holes and the sliding door can be adjusted 
to allow the feed to flow out at the desired rate. The idea 
of the hardwood rollers is to allow the sliding door to be 
moved with ease. If two strips are placed one on each side 
of this door instead of one strip and a roller as shown here, 
the door will be hard to move in wet weather due to the 
swelling of the wood. 

If the feeder is built in larger sizes than shown here it 
will be well to put it on skids in order to haul it around. 




FeeOER WITH 
ON£ SlOe or ROOP 
RfilSEO fif*0 O/iE iLlOinti 
DOOR PAIfTLYPOLLEO 



62 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

Be careful not to have such skids project at the sides or ends, 
and be dangerous to brood sows. The feeder as shown can 
be easily handled by two or three men. 

Below is given a bill of material for the feeder. Credit 
is due the Iowa Experiment Station for the plans. 

Floor 2 pieces 2x12x2' 6" 

Sill 2 pieces 2x 6x2' 6" 

2 pieces Ix 6x2' 3" 

Fender . 2 pieces Ix 6x2' 6" 

Plate 2 pieces Ix 3x2' 8" 

2 pieces Ix 3xl'll" 

Sides.... 7^x4" T. & G. flooring 

Partition :^x4" T. & G. flooring 

Roof 1 piece lx4x 8'0" 

Kx4 T. & G. flooring 

1 piece lx2x S'O" 

3 pieces J^x4 T. & G. flooring 

Braces ...1 piece Ix2xl4'0" 

Strips.... 1 piece Ixlx S'O" 

Strips 4 pieces lx6x 2'4" 

4 2" hardwood rollers 

4 %,x2]/2 carriage bolts 

4 ^x3 carriage bolts 

4 ^ washers 

4 ^ winged nuts 

2 pair 8" strap hinges 

Nuts. 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 63 



CHAPTER XIV 



Keeping Hogs Free of Lice and Worms 

How important it is to keep hogs free of internal and 
external parasites all practical hog men know ; indeed, all 
recognize that hog-growing cannot be made profitable when 
both of these troubles are present with the animals of the 
herd. And the cases are rare when great profit is derived 
from hog-raising when one of the above troubles is present 
to a marked degree. 

These are two troubles of hogs that generally go to- 
gether, and both are due mainly to the same reason, namely, 
neglect. And the worst form of neglect, so far as these two 
hog troubles are concerned, is filth or insanitary conditions. 
Month-old hog-beds made up of broken bits of straw or 
leaves reinforced with dust, is a condition that may be de- 
pended upon to render first aid to hog parasites in their 
warfare against hog profits, and it is well nigh useless to 
endeavor to do away with such destroyers of hog profits 
while such insanitary conditions are allowed to exist. 

So the first condition we would emphasize as absolutely 
essential to clean herds of hogs is clean sleeping quarters. 
Once per week is none too often to thoroughly, clean the 
hog bed-rooms ; removing all litter and providing clean, 
fresh bedding. Clean wheat straw, leaves, broom straw or 
shredded corn stover all make good bedding for hogs, and 
some one of these should be provided under cover during 
the winter months so there will be no excuse for using old 
bedding that has become finely broken and dusty. Then 
the same care should be exercised during the warm months 
that the hogs' bedding places be kept free of dust. During 
this period the floors of the sleeping quarters should be 
scraped and swept clean at least once a week. Then at all 
times of the year — oftener during the summer than in the 



64 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 



winter months — the floors and walls of the hog houses* 
should be well sprayed with a 1 to 50 solution of some good 
coal tar dip, and the addition to the solution of some 
strained whitewash will help greatly in keeping everything 
clean and sweet. All this takes only a few minutes of time 
and will pay big for the labor and care expended. 

A good cheap spray pump we deem a necessity on every 




WALLOWING TANK 

Stock farm. The cost of a thoroughly reliable pump is only 
five or six dollars, and one will do good service for ten 
years if given reasonable care. This pump is just the thing 
to use in disinfecting the hog quarters, as noted above, then 
will do equally good service in spraying the same disin- 
fectant on the hogs themselves ; only in this case a little 
kerosene or crude oil should be substituted for the white- 
wash in the mixture. 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 65 

Sleeping quarters kept in the condition suggested and 
the droves of hogs sprayed once every tw^o weeks with the 
disinfectant will practically insure hogs lice-free, and the 
work necessary to so handle a hundred hogs need not con- 
sume more than one hour's time per week. It goes without 
saying that the spraying of the hogs during the winter 
should be done during mild spells of weather and in the 
middle of the day, so the hogs will dry off quickly without 
chilling. When cold spells of weather are long continued, 
we have found it profitable to rub a little cheap grease or 
oil over the hogs' necks and on the inside of the legs. This 
is for the breeding sows and tender little pigs. For thrifty 
stock, shoats, dry sows, boars, etc., a small stream of kero- 
sene or crude oil poured from the oil can along the backs of 
the hogs, from head to tail, we have found a reliable remedy 
for the lice trouble during long cold spells. 

Many patent hog oilers are on the market and do good 
service for those who care to invest money in them. A new 
wrinkle that appeals to me as being practical is to build 
a roof over a foot deep box filled with sand, over which has 
been sprinkled enough crude oil to give the sand particles 
a thin coating. To accommodate 20 or 25 hogs this box 
should be around 10x12 feet on the ground ; for the hogs use 
this box for their resting quarters during the warm months 
and the oily sand cures them of their external troubles while 
they sleep. 

No one in whom a man of intelligence could have confi- 
dence has ever claimed to know all the agencies that are re- 
sponsible for the "hundred and one" different sort of worms 
with which hogs, and especially growing shoats, become in- 
fested ; but it is a safe guess that insanitary conditions that 
are conducive to thriftlessness is one of the contributive 
agencies. And it is almost equally certain that an ill-bal- 
anced ration that, too, causes lack of thrift is another of 
the causes. Worms love the weakling in all classes of live- 
stock and, too, work the greatest harm to animals in a low 
state of vitality. So we may be quite sure that keeping hogs 
in good sanitary condition outwardly and providing an 



66 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 









19 







HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 67 

abundance of palatable food that is so balanced as to prop- 
erly nourish the animal will help greatly in reducing the 
losses incident to worm infection. 

The properly balanced ration includes, of course, the 
mineral elements required by the animal's body, and these 
will usually be obtained in abundant supply from the reg- 
ular farm feeds that comprise a well balanced ration. How- 
ever, no harm can come from making assurance doubly 
sure by supplying certain mineral elements that the hogs 
can make use of if they feel so inclined. Among the best 
of these that may be obtained on practically every farm 
where hogs are grown are salt, hardwood ashes and char- 
coal mixed at the rate of a pint of salt to a bushel of the 
ashes and charcoal ; the mixture kept under cover wliere it 
will remain dry and where the hogs may have free access 
to it. 

Worm symptoms are unmistakable. There is the luster- 
less upstanding coat of hair, the sick sad look in the animal's 
face, and the desire to root the world up every time the 
land gets in condition so the hog can dig. Should your hogs 
be in this condition, you may be very sure they are making 
mighty poor use of the feed they are consuming, and you 
should lose no time in providing a well balanced ration and 
plenty of it, getting rid of lice, and supplying additional 
mineral matter. Then let the experience teach that the wise 
course is prevention rather than cure. 

Since worms are responsible for so much injury to hogs, 
perhaps a word more may be added to the above discussion 
of a balanced ration and a supply of mineral matter as a 
means of lessening the injurious effects of the internal par- 
asites of the hog. 

Rotate the Hog Lots 

Sufficient is known of the life history of many of the 
worms and other internal parasites of the hog to justify the 
statement that he gathers up many of these parasites 
through his habit of wallowing in mud holes and rooting in 
and eating off the ground. 



68 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

It is because of these facts that the use of small movable 
houses and the changing of lots are advisable. The ground 
over which hogs run year after year becomes contaminated 
with the eggs or larvae of many parasites, but if such 
ground is cultivated for one year these are killed. It is 
practicable to so arrange the hog lots that half may be cul- 
tivated and the other half used each year, which is a great 
protection against infestation with worms. Moreover, 
worms are so common in hogs and it is so' difficult to keep 
the herd entirely free by preventive measures, no matte* 
how well it is fed and cared for, that we think some agents, 
as santonine, turpentine and copperas, should be given to 
poison or cause the worms to be expelled if any find a 
home in the intestines of the hog. Turpentine and copperas 
are two common, well known remedies, and at the same 
time they are two of our best worm medicines. Of these, 
10 grains copperas or 40 to 60 drops of turpentine for every 
100 pounds of hogs may be given in some slops once a 
day for two or three days every two or three weeks. Or 
the copperas may be put in the mixture of ashes, charcoal 
and salt recommended. One pound of powdered copperas 
in a bushel of such a mixture would be ample. 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 69 



CHAPTER XV 



Preventing Cholera and other Infectious Diseases 

Cholera, worms and lice are the greatest enemies of the 
hog. Of course he has other diseases, but when you prevent 
the ravages of these three arch enemies of the hog you have 
prevented the larger part of all ills to which his flesh is 
heir. 

The United States Department of Agriculture is reported 
to have stated that in the past about 90 per cent of the hogs 
that have died of disease in this country have died of 
cholera. Whether this is quoting correctly or not, or whether 
such a large or a smaller percentage of deaths have been 
due to cholera, it is certain that what is popularly known 
as cholera has been the most serious disease of hogs and 
caused the death of more animals than all other diseases 
combined. 

As the first means of keeping cholera out of the herd, 
we want to again stress the importance of carefully follow- 
ing the directions given for keeping the herd healthy and 
the hog lots and houses clean and sanitary. Too much 
importance cannot be attached to every item in those direc- 
tions, if the herd is to be kept healthy, vigorous and making 
profitable growth. 

The hog is the most important factor in the spread of 
cholera. In other words, hogs most frequently bring chol- 
era into herds. Therefore any hog brought onto the place 
should be kept out of the hog lots and pastures and away 
from all members of the herd for not less than 30 days. 
That is, all hogs brought on the place should be quaran- 
tined or kept by themseKes, separated from the members 
of the herd. 



70 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

If this precaution is justifed, and it certainly is, even 
though it may be a little troublesome, then it follows that 
precautions should also be taken to prevent stray hogs en- 
tering the herd or coming in contact w^ith them. It also 
follows that when any member of the herd leaves the 
place it should be treated exactly as a newcomer when 
it returns to the farm. 

Other Carriers of Hog Cholera 

To what extent other agencies spread cholera may be 
uncertain, but there is little doubt that anything which 
may carry the discharge from the body of a cholera- 
sick hog may be a means of occasionally spreading the dis- 
ease. The shoes of men are probably frequent means of 
carrying the disease from one hog lot to another, and dogs, 
buzzards, or other animals, especially if they carry portions 
of the carcass of a hog dead from cholera on to the farm 
or into the hog lots, may be the cause of an outbreak of 
cholera. The neighbor who has cholera on his farm should 
not be regarded as a welcome visitor, nor is it wise to^ pay 
such a neighbor a visit. In other words, every precaution 
should be taken to prevent anything, however small, being 
carried from a place where sick hogs exist to other farms 
or to the lots or pastures of healthy hogs. 

Running Streams a Menace 

There is a popular belief that running water is desir- 
able in the hog lot. This may or may not be true. Usually 
it is not true, for too often the running water is a stream 
which runs through other farms and becomes polluted or 
infected when the nearby farms above experience an out- 
break of hog cholera. Moreover, the hogs too often make 
wallows along the sides of these streams which become 
cesspools and furnish conditions more or less favorable to 
the development of the diesase. Hog wallows of the right 
sort are good, although good shade and a sand box treated 
with crude oil to destroy the lice will take the place of a 
wallow. If a wallow is allowed it should be one made 
of concrete with every facility for draining and disinfect- 
ing. 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 71 

Now, good feeding, good care and the best of sanitary 
conditions with all the precautions mentioned above care- 
fully taken will not protect the hogs from cholera in all 
cases, no matter what the condition of the hog nor the 
care and feeding. The razorback, the ordinary farm hog 
living on grass and the best pure-bred are all alike when 
active cholera infection is introduced into their bodies — 
they contract cholera in a large percentage of cases and 
many of them die. Serum treatment alone is the known 
method of practically complete protection. But the use 
of serum does not justify the neglect of the precautions 
mentioned above any more than the taking of all these 
precautions should take the place of the use of serum un- 
der certain conditions. 

The man who is breeding pure-bred hogs, where there 
IS likely to be more traffic in hogs and where the invest- 
ment is relatively large, should in our judgment use the 
double treatment, serum and virus, on all members of the 
herd. With all the breeding stock immunized the pigs 
should be given the double treatment just before wean- 
ing. Some have advised giving the serum alone a week 
or so before weaning and then following with the double 
treatment when the pigs are three to four months old. This 
is a good method, except that the cost and trouble is great- 
er and in some cases the immunity covered by the single 
serum treatment may disappear before the double treat- 
ment is given and cases of cholera develop in the mean- 
time. Only one objection has been urged against giving 
the double treatment or both the serum and virus at wean- 
ing time, and that seems not well founded. Some have 
thought the double treatment given to young pigs stunted 
their growth more than in older hogs, but if the work is 
done right and the pigs properly cared for it seems that 
the losses of all sort are no greater, if as great at this time 
as any other. 

The farmer who is producing hogs for pork on the 
usual small scale of the farms of the South need not bother 
himself about the serum treatment if he takes the precau- 



72 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

tions outlined above until cholera develops in his neighbor- 
hood or say within a mile. If, however, he is a very large 
producer of pork hogs or is dealing or trafficking in hogs, 
he had better have his herd treated by the double method 
and give the same to every hog brought on the place, while 
it is being kept separated from the herd or quarantined 
for 30 days, as advised for the breeder of pure-bred hogs. 

When cholera develops in the neighborhood or when- 
ever the herd is exposed to any conditions making it more 
likely to contract cholera, the wisest plan is to use the 
serum treatment on every hog on the farm. 

One other general condition may be considered. There 
must always be a first case in the neighborhood or cholera 
may be introduced onto a single farm in a community. In 
such cases the important matter is to recognize the disease 
for what it actually is as early as possible. This is not al- 
ways easy, but if hog-raisers could once understand that 
such a small "germ" as that which produces cholera may 
be introduced in many ways not generally thought prob- 
able and would treat every case of sickness as suspicious, 
fewer serious mistakes would be made. 

The sick hog, no matter what the cause or nature of 
the disease, should be removed from the herd, or better 
still, where that is possible, the well hogs removed to fresh, 
clean quarters. If one case develops and then in a few 
days another one or two show up, it is time to become se- 
riously aroused. It is not easy to always recognize cholera 
in the living animal. But if along with dullness, a dispo- 
sition to remain in the sleeping quarters, there is swelling 
of the ear tip and general evidence of fever, one should 
always be suspicious of the cholera. If the hog be white 
or red and more than four or five months old, red spots may 
frequently be seen on the skin of the ears, belly and inside 
the thighs. These are almost positive evidence of cholera. 
If the disease be cholera, it is not usually necessary to wait 
long for a dead hog on which to hold an examination. In 
fact, if more than one be sick and one is seriously sick so 
that death in a short time seems probable, it is a good plan 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 73 

to kill it for purposes of examination. For the trained 
person it is not usually difficult to recognize cholera on an 
examination after death. Only in young pigs is this likely 
to be difficult. For the untrained farmer it may sometimes 
be quite difficult to recognize cholera in pigs under four 
or five months of age and occasionally even in older ani- 
mals, but as a general rule in older animals it is not diffi- 
cult to tell cholera, even for the average farmer, if he will 
remember just two or three facts. 

When the first hog dies or is killed we advise scalding 
and scraping the skin just as when the hog is to be dressed 
for meat. If the skin on the ears and neck, belly or inside 
of the thighs show round, red spots with well defined 
edges, the case is probably cholera. These red spots are 
entirely different from the redness of the skin produced 
by injuries before the death of the hog. The latter are 
usually lighter in color and shade off gradually into the 
skin instead of having their edges well defined as in chol- 
era. After the skin is carefully examined the hog should 
be cut open and the kidneys, heart and intestines careful- 
ly examined. If small red spots or specks — much smaller 
spots than usually appear on the skin — are found on the 
kidney, or other organs, but especially on the kidneys, it is 
usually safe to diagnose the disease cholera. If doubt still 
exists or in the first place if it is practicable a veterinarian 
should be called. If the disease is cholera, or if these blood 
specks and spots are found, or even in the absence of them 
the veterinarian thinks the disease is cholera, no matter 
how improbable the owner may think it is that it can pos- 
sibly be cholera, there is only one safe and wise course to 
pursue and that is to have a competent man treat the en- 
tire herd with anti-cholera serum. Delay is always dan- 
gerous and generally seriously unprofitable. When chol- 
era exists notify the state veterinarian and your neighbors 
and use serum just as soon as possible. The man who 
loses many hogs with cholera in these times usually has 
only himself to blame for good serum properly given will 
prevent the disease. 



74 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

Inoculating Hogs: Single and Double Treatment 

In inoculating hogs against cholera, the term, "double 
treatment" means that the hogs are injected with anti- 
cholera serum and at the same time, preferably on the 
opposite side of the body, they are also injected with in- 
fected blood, or the blood from a cholera-infected hog. 
This double treatment is sometimes called the "simulta- 
neous inoculation." The "single treatment" or "serum alone 
inoculation," means that only the anti-cholera serum is in- 
jected. When the single treatment is used the hogs are 
protected only for from two or three weeks up to six' or 
eight weeks while the double treatment generally gives im- 
munity or protection for life, as does a case of cholera from 
A^hich the hog recovers. 

While cholera is a very common disease of swine it is 
not the only disease which causes the hog raiser serious 
trouble. There are other diseases which more or less re- 
semble cholera and also other diseases or infections with 
which cholera may be complicated. 

Sometimes the farmer has the anti-cholera serum given 
when he thinks his hogs are suffering from cholera and 
the results are not satisfactory. In such cases his hogs 
are usually suffering from another disease or cholera com- 
plicated with other diseases, or the so-called mixed infections. 

As a matter of information in such cases the editor has 
had Dr. C. A. Gary, State Veterinarian of Alabama, pre- 
pare the following brief article on these complications of 
cholera: 

So-Called Mixed Infections in Relation to Other 
Diseases of Swine 

There are a number of diseases of swine any one of 
which is rarely found by itself in the living hog. They are : 

(1) Cholera. 

(2) Swine Plague or Hemorrhagic Septicemia. 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 75 

(3) Necrobacillosis (necrotic disease of mouth, throat, 

and intestines.) 

(4) Paratyphosis (intestines.) 

(5) Suipesterosis (intestines.) 

(6) Malignant Edema. 

(7) Verminous Pneumonia. 

(8) Intestinal Parasites. 

(9) Parasites of the Kidneys and Kidney Fat. 

(1) CHOLERA. The symptoms and post mortem 
lesions of cholera are not so distinct and constant as to en- 
able the farmer to make an easy diagnosis. In acute cases, 
there is a high fever, sluggishness, loss of appetite, some- 
times constipation, at other times diarrhea; eyes may be 
matted, and the thin and light parts of the skin may be 
congested and red. It is often associated with swine plague, 
swine parasites in lungs, intestines and kidney fat, and 
necrosis of the mouth and throat and intestines. Post 
mortem lesions : small bloody (hemorrhagic) spots (usually 
round) in and over the kidneys, spleen, peritoneum, in the 
linings of the bladder and larynx and sometimes in the 
mucus membranes. The spleen may be enlarged with 
bloody spots on its surface. The lymph glands in various 
parts of the body and body cavities may be engorged and 
enlarged with lymph and blood. 

(2) SWINE PLAGUE OR HEMORRHAGIC SEP- 
TICEMIA. Symptoms: This disease involves the lungs 
usually, producing pneumonia and pleurisy with high fever, 
difficult and rapid respirations, and sometimes spasms of 
the diaphram (thumps). Animals may have a severe cough. 
It is said to produce a muco-enteritis in the large and 
small intestines, which may be determined by hard feces 
covered with a film of mucus. Post mortem lesions may 
show red or gray solidified areas of the lung tissue and 
in some cases abscesses in the lungs. Generally there is con- 
siderable edema of the lungs in the early congestive stage. 
Sometimes there may be a fibrinous exudate and consider- 
able serum in the pleural sac. The hemorrhagic areas of 



76 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

the pleura, peritoneum, and kidneys are said to be larger 
and more irregular in outline than the small, round, bloody 
spots in cholera. Sometimes there are clear jelly-like 
exudates under the skin around the throat. 

(3) NECROBACILLOSIS OF SWINE by itself is 
a rare disease. The necrosis bacillus directly or indirectly 
produces necrosis (death) of small areas of mucus mem- 
brane of the mouth, nasal passages, pharynx, or intestines. 
These necrotic parts become more or less thick and look 
like organized exudates. In the intestines they are often 
called button ulcers. It is said that the (5) suipestifer 
bacillus and the (4) paratyphoid germ take part in the 
production of these so-called button ulcers of the intestines. 

(6) THE MALIGNANT EDEMA germ is very rare- 
ly found in swine. When it does occur, the infected 
animals die very quickly. It is determined by a very 
rapidly growing swelling extending from the point of in- 
fection. The germ enters the tissue at the tonsils, at a 
break in the skin or mucus membrane of the mouth and 
by injection with infected serum or other hypodermic in- 
jections. It is possible that the germ may very rarely 
enter lung tissue and produce edema of the lungs. It 
may very easily be confounded with all edema produc- 
ing infections and at times with gas producing infections. 

(7) VERMINOUS PNEUMONIA OR BRON- 
CHITIS. No doubt the small thread worms in the bron- 
chioles and air sacs and large brondi of the lungs irritate 
the mucosa and thus permit infectious germs (swine plague, 
etc.), to enter the lung tissue. This is especially true 
when the larval stage of the ascaris suis (large round worm 
found at maturity in intestines — it belongs to the fish-worm 
class) is found in the lungs. The larval stage of this in- 
testinal worm is passed in the lungs, and in children and 
pigs it produces pneumonia. The severe persistent hack- 
ing cough of pigs is usually due to this worm or the small 
thread worms. The only way to be sure of a diagnosis is to 
find the worms in the lungs or bronchii after death. The 
larvae of the ascaris cannot readily be found by the farmer. 
He can see the large worm in the intestine. 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 77 

(8) INTESTINAL PARASITES may be responsible 
for mixed infections entering the body. The large thorn- 
headed worm penetrates part or all of the intestinal wall 
and makes an opening for infections (germs, etc.) to enter 
the tissues and vessels. The ascaris suis is the large round 
worm found unattached in the intestines and gall ducts. It 
irritates and obstructs and may excrete a toxin. 

(9) THE WORMS IN THE KIDNEY AND KID- 
NEY FAT are quite common in the South and can only be 
determined on post mortem. In the kidneys, the worm 
produces large or small cysts that interfere with kidney 
functions according to the size of the cysts. If in the fat, 
they may produce some changes and may excrete toxins. 
This worm sometimes invades the sublumbar muscles and 
in extremely rare cases penetrates the spinal canal and 
thus injures the nerves or spinal cord. Some believe it 
thus causes some cases of paralysis of the hind limbs. 

It may seem out of place to put all of the before-men- 
tioned diseases in the group of mixed infections. But this 
is not more absurd or wild than some of the ideas expressed 
by some medical men and farmers on mixed infections. 
Let the farmer remember that cholera is the most common 
and fatal disease of swine and that it is often associated 
(mixed) with swine plague, necro bacillosis and one or 
more of the mentioned infections or infestations. It is 
not the farmer's business or ability to make fine distinctions 
or exact diagnoses in a large number of swine diseases. 
That is the business of the expert, graduate veterinarian. 
It pays to buy the expert diagnoses. It also pays to buy 
the expert treatment. It pays to avoid patent cure-alls. 
But the farmer is the one to apply most of the treatment, 
especially the preventative treatment. He should know 
that most of the swine diseases are closely allied to or 
associated with filth, impure water, spoiled, or irrational 
feeds, unsanitary lots, yards, pastures and houses. A sure, 
active treatment for mixed infections has not been discov- 
ered. The mixed bacterins is an attempt to make a long 
shot with a short-range gun — a shot gun. It covers a wide 



78 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

range but does not shoot very far. It may be the best 
uncertain treatment of its kind known. But the farmer can 
prevent most of these diseases. The use of anti-hog cholera 
serum and virus is advisable and the single or double in- 
noculation does immunize hogs. Have it done when and 
where necessary, but do not depend upon it to take the 
place of cleanliness and disinfection of yards, pens, pas- 
tures, houses, troughs, and proper selection of quality and 
quantity of feed, purity of water supply and sensible breed- 
ing. Parasites and germs are co-workers. Animal parasites 
reduce body resistance to germs by taking some nutrition, 
by interfering with digestion, by production of toxins that 
may cause nervous irritation or anemia. Some of the 
parasites may be kept in control by the lime-sulphur-char- 
coal-salt mixture; but cleanliness and disinfection with fre- 
quent change of lots, yards and pastures are very essential 
factors in the control and extermination of infectious germs 
and parasites. 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 79 



CHAPTER XVI 



Housing the Hogs 

There is a happy medium in the matter of hog houses 
that is a pleasant position for the practical hog-grower to 
occupy. It lies between the slipshod method of the shift- 
less, would-be hog-grower — who trusts to luck for his hogs 
to find some sort of shelter during bad weather in which 
they will be well enough protected to enable them to 
survive — and the expensive equipment of the fancy farmer 
who puts on style in the matter of business at the ex- 
pense of profitable returns. 

It will hardly be denied by any one that even in our 
goodly Southern clime hogs, to return the greatest profit, 
must have some protection from the elements, especially 
is this the case with farrowing sows and pigs that are un- 
der two months of age. Then it is a pretty good theory that 
any animal that has a comfortable sleeping place, at all 
periods of his life, has a better chance for doing his best 
than has one to which such comfort is denied. 

A Comfortable Sleeping Place 

Hogs advise by their actions as to the sort of a sleeping 
place they consider comfortable. The main points they 
usually stress as being conducive to their comfort are 
warmth, and absence of wind and dampness. Hogs are full 
of wisdom as a general thing and left to their own resources 
they will seek for their sleeping places situations that com- 
bine as near as possible the points mentioned above and so 
far as they are concerned little else matters. 

Right at this point it should be remembered that hogs 
have never been seen to climb up into a pole pen — with a 
slatted floor raised a foot above the ground and with the 
blue sky, and a few pine boughs for a roof — ^to make their 
beds. From this fact it may be concluded that the above is 



80 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 



not the sort of a hog house for hogs of any age, and that 
the ten thousand men in our South country who are in- 
sisting upon their hogs occupying houses built after this 
fashion are "going agin hog nature." So with the state- 
ment thrown in for what it is worth, that the above is no 




THE A TYPE OF HOG HOUSE 

sort of a hog house at all, we may pass to the contemplation 
of more pleasant subjects. 

For the use of fattening hogs or dry sows, we doubt if 
there is a better style house than the open shed, boarded 
tight and battened on the north, east and west sides, and, 
for use in permanent pastures or in fields where temporary 
crops are being hogged off, it is well to have these houses 



now TO SUCCEED WTTTT HOGS 81 

set on two sills rouiuled at both ends like sled runners so 
that a team may haul the house from place to ])lace in the 
fields as often as the sleeping- floors become dusty or other- 
wise insanitary. This arrangement, too, enables the hog 
grower to manure the poorer spots in the field. 

In such houses there should be a board either end cut 
to fit between the sills at the ground line that may be 
raised when the house is moved and then dropped in place 
again when the house is at its new location. The A-shaped 
farrowing house is familiar to practically all our farmers, 
and probably no better house for the South can be devised 
for the purpose. (See page 80.) In these houses the 
roof extends to the ground on both sides and both ends 
of the house should be boarded and battened tight. Then in 
the end of the house that faces the South should be a hinged 
door, and above this a window. This last — that is often 
neglected by builders of this style house — is quite import- 
ant; for sunshine is very essential to the health of the little 
pig and, too, it is one of the best sanitary agencies we can 
make use of. 

Location and Arrangement 

For use in sections of our territory where cold weather 
and farrowing time hardly ever come together, the small 
open shed answers very well for a farrowing house, when 
the beds are kept in good order, ideal sanitary conditions 
are maintained by such housing. 

Where many sows are kept and the lay of the land is 
such that it is practicable, the individual farrowing houses 
and their individual lots should front on a road or driveway 
so a team may be conveniently used to haul the necessary 
feed, but where only from two to four brood sows are main- 
tained, as is the case on the average farm in our section, 
this is not necessary. But at all times thought should be 
given to the arrangement of house and lots to the end that 
only necessary labor attend the handling of the hogs; for 
time is money to the most of us or should be at least. 

Ideas differ as to the sort of floor that is best in farrow- 



82 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 



ing houses, a good many hog men maintaining that a solid 
dirt floor is as good as any and when the houses are cleaned 
often enough to keep the beds free from dust or damp bed- 
ding we believe this floor answers very well. But when 
pigs are farrowed in rather cold weather, or during spells of 
extreme wet, and the soil on which the houses are located 




ILLUSrilATlOxN SHOWS A GOOD COT WITH A CONVENIENT KNOCK-DOWN 

PEN. SKIDS 4 X 6, 9 FEET LONG. TWO JOISTS. 2X6 LAID FLAT. 

SIDES WEATHER BOARDED OR CRACKS BATTENED. 

is clay, we are of the opinion that a detached board floor 
laid on the ground and the bedding placed on this makes a 
better arrangement. We do not favor board floors' raised 
several inches above the ground and attached to the build- 
ing, for it has been our observation that they are no better 
than those laid on the ground and often make a harboring 
place for rats underneath and a place for filth and dust to 
accumulate. 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 



83 



Many advocate a raised railing around the interior of 
the farrowing house for the protection of the small pigs, but 
we have never yet seen a pig crushed anywhere save in the 
bed of its dam, and believe the proper feeding of the sows 
before farrowing — so the pigs will be strong when far- 
rowed — and due care taken that too large a bulk of coarse 
bedding be not given is better insurance against pig crush- 
ing than any arrangement of house could be. 

Large, expensive farrowing houses are all right in sec- 
tions where the pigs must be farrowed during very cold 






S' 






1 1 


fi- 


1 




■ 


a- -1 






1 


3' ■■ -.1 



Front of Pen 






35 



s; 



Side of Pen 

ILLUSTRATIONS SHOW THE DIMENSIONS OF THE HOUSE ON PAGE 82, 
AND ALSO THE PANELS OF THE PEN 

weather, but in our section we believe such houses are only 
a waste of capital and that the cheap house answers as well 
for every purpose. At times when we have had sows ready 
to farrow during one of our very rare cold spells we have 
provided the sow a temporary small box stall in the warmest 
part of a large cattle shed, making the sides of the box so 
no cold drafts could reach the sow, and if the weather should 
be cold enough to warrant the extra precaution, lay boards 
across the top of the box and cover with straw. The sows 
would remain in this box not more than a week, of course, 
and it would generally not be that long before they could 
be carefully moved to their out-of-doors house. 

Those in our section who are looking for a chance to 
spend surplus money can find many hog house plans and 



84 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

arrangements that will turn the trick for them, but the 
average man who wants to have his hogs take care of him 
need only concern himself with having good roofs on his 
hog house, tight walls around them, dry, clean, well-bedded 
floors, and a chance for the sun to shine in. 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 85 



CHAPTER XVII 



Curing Meat on the Farm 

It is not necessary to select zero weather as a day for 
slaughter; in fact, to get the best results, hogs should not 
be killed at a time when the thermometer stands at zero 
or below. A cold, clear, crisp day, however, should be 
chosen if possible. If the day is sufficiently cold it is best 
to kill in the forenoon ; this should be done to assist in 
disposing of the extra work which always accompanies 
the killing of hogs. If, however, the day turns out to be 
a warm one, as is frequently the case in the South, it is far 
better and safer to kill in the afternoon. 

To prevent fermentation in the stomach and intestines 
while the animal is being dressed, it is wise to deprive the 
hog of all feed, except water, for 24 hours before killing. 
When fermentation arises the meat is always- tainted, as 
the warm body of the hog takes up objectionable odors 
very quickly. The peculiar odors which oftentimes accom- 
pany the home cured meats are very largely due to fer- 
mentations which arise in the stomach and intestines after 
the hogs are slaughtered. 

Killing 

To insure complete and rapid bleeding, the hog should 
be as quiet as possible several hours previous to being 
killed, and should never be excited or violently exercised 
immediately before being slaughtered. Many farmers stun 
the animal with a heavy instrument of some kind before 
sticking, but it is thought that more complete bleeding 
is accomplished when the animal, while yet alive is simply 
turned on the back and the heart pierced, or the main artery 
leading from the heart severed, with a long-bladed knife. 
If this operation is performed accurately the blood spurts 
out in a stream and insensibility and death result quickly. 



86 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

The novice may insert the knife into one of the shoulders, 
rendering the piece practically unfit for curing. A blood- 
shot piece of meat or one which has not been thoroughly 
bled is a very undesirable piece for curing. 

Scalding 

After many careful experiments, where a thermometer 
was used to obtain the exact temperature of the water (a 
thermometer good enough for the work may be obtained 
for 25 cents at almost any drug store), it was learned 
that temperatures ranging from 150 degrees to 155 degrees 
finally loosened the hair and made it slip readily, but to do 
this the body of the animal was held in the water more 
than a minute ; this, however, is a very great advantage as 
the danger of "setting" the hair is very small indeed. When 
hogs were scalded in water with temperatures from 150 
to 155 degrees, the hair became loose in about 72 seconds. 
When the temperature of the water varied from 186 de- 
grees to 190 degrees, it was necessary to hold the bodies 
in the water only 24 seconds. For the sake of safety the 
temperature of the water should not be higher than 175 de- 
grees ; with this temperature one may expect the hair to 
become loose within 40 seconds. 

Dressing 

As soon as the hair is thoroughly removed the bodies 
should be hung up, washed with clean, cold water, and the 
internal organs removed. This should be done before gases 
develop in the intestinal tract. After the hogs are dressed 
the carcass should be opened as wide as possible in front, 
washed again with clean, cold water and hung in the cool- 
est possible place until the following morning. It is not 
meant by this, however, that the meat should be allowed 
to become frozen. Many good farmers cut the bodies into 
rough pieces very soon after the hog is dressed ; if the day 
has been warm and the probability is that the night will 
also be warm, it is usually wise to do this, especially with 
large bodies. The writer has found it to be a good prac- 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 87 

tice to cut up the carcass very early the morning following 
the day on which the hogs were killed and immerse the 
pieces in brine before the warm part of the day. If the 
day following bids fair to be warm it becomes almost neces- 
sary to put the meat away early the first morning. If the 
weather, however, is unusually cold the day following the 
killing it is probably wise to rub the pieces of meat with 
salt and let them stand over one day before placing them 
in the brine or salt. 

The process of common dry salting is well understood. 
Many farmers have never used any other method. Very 
excellent meat can be made by this method, but as a rule 
the meat becomes too dry, hard, and salty. Better meat 
can be made by other methods, and the danger of loss is re- 
duced probably 50 per cent. Probably the best results — or 
at least the best results ever secured by the writer — are se- 
cured when the meat is immersed in the following brine 
solution : 

To each 100 pounds of meat — 
12 pounds of common salt. 
3 pounds of brown sugar. 
3 ounces of saltpetre. 
6 gallons of water. 

As the brine must be perfectly cool when the meat is im- 
mersed it should be made the day before using. Ordinary 
syrup may be used in place of the sugar. The above articles 
should all be placed in a kettle and boiled gently for about 
one hour. Any kind of a clean vessel, as an earthen jar 
or wooden barrel, may be used for holding the brine and 
meat ; clean syrup barrels are usually very easily obtained. 
Extreme care, however, should be exercised to obtain new 
and thoroughly clean barrels; old and tainted barrels should 
never be used. 

After the pieces of meat are neatly trimmed into proper 
shape and size they should be laid in the barrel with the 
meat side up, a heavy weight placed upon them, and the 
brine poured in to a depth not less than two inches above 



88 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

the top piece of meat. The brine should be examined every 
few days as it sometimes becomes "ropy," especially during 
a long period of hot weather. If the brine shows signs o^f 
becoming "ropy" or tainted the trouble can usually be 
checked by removing the meat, dropping in a small amount 
of common soda, and stirring well. If this treatment does 
not immediately correct the trouble, the meat should be 
taken out, each piece thoroughly washed, and put down 
again in new brine and barrels. The small pieces of meat 
should remain in the brine 30 to 40 days. At one time the 
writer kept 38 hams of various sizes in a brine for 53 days. 
The small hams were in the brine too many days and 
become somewhat too salty. Fifty-two days was not, how- 
ever, too long a brine period for the larger hams. 

Smoking 

After the meat has been in the brine a sufficient length 
of time it should be taken out, hung in the smokehouse, 
allowed to drip two or three days, and the smoke applied. 
If the meat is to be smoked properly and kept pure and 
sweet a good, but not necessarily an expensive, smoke- 
house must be erected. A cement floor is almost an absolute 
necessity, as such a floor can be easily and completely clean- 
ed while it does not furnish places for the "skippers" to live 
during their resting period. 

Many farmers smoke meat at irregular intervals, for 20 
to 40 days, but there is probably nothing gained by pro- 
longing the period, especially if the smokehouse is well 
made and the smoke is applied continuously for a short 
period. If the smokehouse will not hold smoke, then it is 
necessary to prolong the smoking period. When the house 
IS tight and the fire is kept burning continuously there 
seems to be no reason why the meat should be smoked 
more than three or four days. Corn cobs, hickory chips, 
and various other woods are used for producing the smoke ; 
no special or secret virtue accompanies the smoke made 
by any one particular kind of wood. 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 89 

Sacking the Meat 

As soon as the meat has been sufficiently smoked the 
ventilators and windows should be openea and the warm 
air permitted to escape. When the meat is thoroughly cool- 
ed it should be prepared for the summer season. The ma- 
jority of farmers permit the cured meat to hang in the 
smokehouse, unprotected froni the flies and other insects, 
during the spring and summer months. This is an unwise 
thing to do, unless the house has a cement floor, is dark, 
and all openings are thoroughly protected by wire screen- 
ing. Meat which hangs unprotected in the average smoke- 
house is almost sure to become infested with "skippers." It 
should be taken down and prepared for the summer season. 
The individual pieces of meat should be first wrapped close- 
ly with old newspapers or wrapping paper. They should 
then be placed in strong sacks (flour sacks will do) and 
each bag tightly tied at the top. The sacks should then be 
hung exactly where they are to stay until taken down to 
be eaten or sold, and painted on the outside with a solution 
so as to exclude all flies and "skippers." A thick paste of 
ordinary lime, glue, and water will answer the purpose very 
well. A better paste, but one somewhat tedious to make, 
may be made of the following materials: 

For 100 pounds of hams and bacon — 

3.0 pounds of barytes (barium sulphate). 
.06 pounds of glue. 

.08 pounds of chrome yellow (lead chromate). 
.40 pounds of flour. 

Fill a three or four-gallon bucket one-half full of water 
and mix in the flour. Dissolve the lead chromate in a 
quart of water in a separate vessel and add this solution 
and the glue to the flour water. Bring this to a boil, and 
while boiling add the barium sulphate slowly, stirring con- 
stantly. The solution should be painted on the outside of 
the sack with an ordinary paint brush. 



90 HOW TO vSUCCEED WITH HOGS 



APPENDIX 



Feeding Cotton Seed Meal to Hogs 

1. Cottonseed meal should not constitute more than 
one-third or one-fourth the ration of hogs. 

2. Cottonseed meal should not be fed for more than 
four or five weeks at any one period ; but after a rest of 
three to five weeks, the cottonseed meal may again be 
fed for another period of four or five weeks. 

3. When hogs are on green feed, cottonseed meal may 
probably be fed in larger quantities and for longer periods 
than when dry feeds only are used. 

4. Possibly the feeding of wood ashes or copperas, with 
the cottonseed meal, and souring the cottonseed meal mixed 
with water before feeding, may have some effect in lessen- 
ing its injurious effects on hogs. 

5. Except for its injurious effects on some hogs, cotton- 
seed meal is a most excellent feed for hogs, making good 
gains and producirg a firm carcass. 

6. It appea''^ that some samples of cottonseed meal are 
more toxic or poisonous for hogs than are other samples ; 
but since no one knows just what the poisonous matter is, 
it is not practicable to distinguish the less poisonous from 
the more poisonous samples of meal, except by trial. 

7. Cottonseed meal, forming one-third or one-fourth the 
ration, is a most excellent feed for hogs for the last four 
weeks before slaughtering, especially for hogs grazed on 
peanuts, soy beans and other soft pork producing feeds ; for 
it produces good gains and hardens the fat. 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 



How Many Hogs or Cattle Per Car? 



91 



Twenty head of cattle weighing between 1,100 and 1,200 
pounds will go into a 31-foot car, twenty-four in a 36-foot 
car and twenty-seven in a 40-foot car. 

The minimum weight for a thirty-one foot car load of 
hogs loaded double deck is 19,000 pounds and 15,000 pounds 
loaded single deck. One hundred and fifteen 100-pound 
hogs or seventy-two 200-pounders or sixty-two 350-pound- 
porkers will be accommodated in a 31-foot car. One hundred 
and thirty-two 100-pounders, or eighty-four 200-pound pork- 
ers, or seventy-one 250-pound animals will go into a 36-foot 
car. One hundred and forty-seven 100-pound porkers, or 
ninety 200-pound animals, or eighty 250-pound animals will 
go into a 40-foot car. 

Young Hogs Make Best Use of Feed 

The following table modified from Henry's "Feeds and 
Feeding," shows the economy of gain in feeds consumed 
by young or small pigs as compared with hogs weighing 
250 pounds or more: 





Number 


Average 


Average 


Feed Re- 


Weight of Pigs 


of Pigs 


Feed Eaten 


Gain Per 


Required 




Fed 


Per Day 


Day 


for 100 lbs. 
Gain 


15 to 50 lbs 


174 


2.2 lbs. 


0.8 lbs. 


293 lbs. 


f50to 100 lbs ... 


417 


3.4 lbs. 


0.8 lbs. 


400 lbs. 


100 to 150 lbs 


495 


4.8 lbs. 


1.1 lbs. 


437 lbs. 


150 to 200 lbs 


489 


5.9 lbs. 


1.2 lbs. 


482 lbs. 


200 to 250 lbs 


300 


6.6 lbs. 


1.3 lbs. 


498 lbs. 


250 to 300 lbs 


105 


7.4 lbs. 


1.5 lbs. 


511 lbs. 


300 to 530 lbs 


105 


7.5 lbs. 


1.4 lbs. 


535 lbs. 



Feeding Velvet Bean and Pcd Meal to Hogs 

In a recent issue it was stated that many had reported 
unsatisfactory results from attempts to feed velvet bean 
and pod meal to hogs, and reports from our readers were 



92 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

asked for. The request has brought numerous responses, 
and the evidence is still rather unfavorable to the use of vel- 
vet bean and pod meal for hog- feeding, unless the meals is 
soaked. A number have reported that soaking the meal 
from one feeding to the next seems to make it palatable and 
■^hat the hogs do well on it. Even cattle are reported to like 
it better when it is wet or soaked. Perhaps the same would 
be true with horses, which seem less inclined to eat it than 
other livestock. 

In short, the reports from the use of dry velvet bean 
and pod meal, either alone or with other feed like corn, 
for hog-feeding, are unfavorable while the reports from its 
use after soaking are highly satisfactory. If soaking is all 
that is required to make velvet bean and pod meal satisfac- 
tory for hog-feeding the solution of the trouble previously 
reported is not difficult. The following is a sample of the 
reports of the successful use of velvet bean and pod meal 
by soaking: 

"Editor Progressive Farmer : I notice a reader has not 
gotten satisfactory results from feeding velvet bean and pod 
meal to hogs. I have been feeding some to hogs and it 
seems to be the very thing for them. I grind the beans, 
pod and all, with about 40 per cent ear corn and put the 
amount I want to feed at night in a container at morning 
and cover with water. By night it's ready, and I repeat at 
night for the morning feed. My hogs are always ready 
for the feed and seem to do better on it than anything I 
ever tried. I also feed my cattle on the above mixture and 
the shuck ground in, except I do not soak it for cattle. 

"A SUBSCRIBER." 

A Practical Hog Crate 

Farmers who raise pure-bred hogs need practical and 
strong hog crates in which to ship the animals. Specialists 
of the United States Department of Agriculture recom- 
mend a crate in which the side slats are nailed on the out- 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 



93 



side, where they are just as secure and safe, and by which 
the same amount of lumber will give 2 inches more space 
than if the slats were placed on the inside, as is commonly 
practiced. 

The front of the crate is closed by putting m a board 
standing endwise instead of nailing slats crosswise, the com- 
monly accepted procedure. The former method is better be- 
cause the end can be opened readily and the hog can walk 




A PRACTICAL HOG CRATE 



out with ease instead of being forced to back out, as in 
the ordinary crate. In addition, when the slats are nailed 
crosswise, especially when the crate is used for old hogs, 
they may be pushed off or broken in two while in transit, 
and sometimes allow the hog to escape. 

For a properly constructed crate the sides should be 
made first, and the floor, top, and ends built around them. 
The floor should be laid crosswise, which will make the 
crate stronger. Only good, strong boards should be used. 
One 12-inch board or two 8-inch boards are sufficient for 
the ends. A block should be nailed to the floor 1 inch from 



94 HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 

each end to keep the end boards from slipping inward. 
The crate should be built to fit the hog to be shipped and 
should be large enough for comfort. A well-built crate 
may prevent serious injury to the hog in transit. A crate 
of suitable size for a hog weighing from 250 to 300 pounds 
is 2 feet wide, 4 feet 8 inches long, and 2 feet 8 inches 
high. 

In building the sides of the crate it is essential to use 
nails sufficiently long to allow one-fourth-inch clinch, the 
nails being bent crosswise of the grain of the wood. The 
nails in the end boards are not clinched and the nail heads 
are left to protude enough so that the nails can be removed 
easily with a claw hnmmer. TUq usual top cross board just 
above the animal's hind quarters is omitted. 

A List of a Small Part of the Literature Available on 
Hog Raisinof From the U. S. Department of Agri- 
culture, Washington, D. C, and 
State Experiment Stations 

Bulletin No. 47 in 3 parts from the Bureau of Animal In- 
dustry, "The Hog Industry." 

Farmers Bulletins : 

No. 22, The Feeding of Farm Animals. 
No. 100, Hog Raising in the South. 
No. 102, Southern Forage Plants. 

No. 272, A Successful Hog and Seed Corn Farm. 

No. 379, Hog Cholera. 

No. 411, Feeding Hogs in the South. 

No. 438, Hog Houses. 

Alabama Experiment Station, Auburn, Ala. 

Bulletin No. ]22, Grazing and Feeding Experiments with 
Pigs. 

Bulletin No. 143, Feeds Supplementary to Corn for 
Southern Pork Production. 



HOW TO SUCCEED WITH HOGS 95 

Bulletin No. 154, Corn, Soy Bean Pastures, Tankage, 
Cottonseed Meal for Fattening Hogs. 

Bulletin No. 166, Curing Meat on the Farm. 
Bulletin No. 168, Fattening Hogs in Alabama. 

North Carolina Experiment Station, West Raleigh, N. C. 

Bulletin No. 200, Feeding Fermented Cottonseed Meal 
to Hogs. 

Bulletin No. 207, Hog' Raising in North Carolina. 
Circular No. 4, Curing Meat on the Farm. 

South Carolina Experiment Station, Clemson College, S. C. 

Bulletin No. 152, Hog Cholera and the Serum Method 
of Treatment. 

Bulletin No. 168, Hog Cholera and Its Control. 
Kentucky Experiment Station, Lexington, Ky. 

Bulletin No. 175, The Growing and Fattening of Hogs 
in the Dry Lot and on Forage Crops. 

Louisiana Experiment Station, Baton Rouge, La. 

Bulletin No. 123, Some Experiments in Grazing and Soil- 
ing. 

Bulletin No. 124, The Best Crops to Grow for Hogs. 
Bulletin No. 148, Stock Feeding. 

Texas Experiment Station, College Station, Texas. 

Bulletin No. 78, Feeding Fermented Cottonseed Meal 
to Hogs. 

Bulletin No. 131, Hog Feeding Experiments. 
Bulletin No. 157, Hog Cholera and Its Prevention. 



A Paper For Every 
Section of the South 



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paper made to cover the entire South. 

It is three papers, each called The Progres- 
sive Farmer. 

One Progressive Farmer known as our 
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and is made to cover the exact needs of the 
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Another edition is edited in Birmingham, 
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bama, Mississippi, and East Arkansas. 

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In whatever section of the South you may 
live, there is an edition of The Progressive 
Farmer made especially for you. 

The Progressive Farmer is a weekly paper 
— 52 big issues a year — subscription price $1.00 
per year, and sold on a guaranteed basis; that 
is, if at the end of the year you feel that you 
have not had more than your money's worth, 
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and nothing to lose when you subscribe for 
The Progressive Farmer. 

Free sample copies upon request. Address 
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THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER 

Raleigh, N. C. Birmingham, Ala. 

Memphis, Tenn. Dallas, Texas 



Every Fariri Home Should Have a Copy of 

"HOW FARMERS CO-OPERATE 
AND DOUBIE PROFITS" 

By CLARENCE POE 

A practical guide-book to the whole big subject of co-operation. True 
stories of actual experiences of farmeis' co-operative societ es in our own 
West, South and East, and in European countries. Containing chapters on 
how to organize, rules and regulations to adopt, parliamentary rules, by- 
laws, etc. It is as interesting and readable as a novel. 

Read what Agricultural Leaders in America and Europe Say About the Book 

DEAN ir. .4. HENRY, Wisconsin: sible to get it into the hands of every one 

"It's surely going to inoculate our farmer of the six and a half million farmers in j 

people of America with the microbe of the United States." j 
co-operation." ; 

r^r. r r, T, ^ rr T^ ,r , , ^r 1/ P ROF . W . K . TATE, CcoYge Pcahody \ 

DR. L H. BAILEl. Ithaca N. Y: College for Teachers: "In my opinion I 

I am glad that you have brought t^is is the most helpful book on this sub- ! 

together actual experiences that will jg^t which lias ever been witten for 

show what has been done and also what American farmers." 
may be done." 

CHARLES S. BARRETT. President ^^- C- BR-jNSON University of North 

National Farmers' Union: "A monu- Caro'ina: It is almost the on y book 

ment to the author's ability, industrv that shows up a competent knowledge of 

and patriotism " " Southern economic problems. 

W. D. HOARD, Hoard's Dairyman: GEORGE W RUSSELL. Editor Irish 

"A great book!" " Homestead. Dublin: Though there are ^ 

many tarming books well written and j 

DR. KEN YON L. B UTTERFIELD, full of valuable information, we really do 1 

President Massachusetts A gricultural Col- not know of any work more practical 

'It seems to be filled to the brim than this." 



with practical and suggestive matter." 



.1 CABINET MEMBER writes: "The 



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iversity: "I am delighted with it. The Plunkett about co-operation enterprises 

concrete way in which you have described in this country, and he told me that 

the actual results of co-operation amounts 'How Farmers Co-operate' is the best 

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Other Books For 
The Farm Library 



Massey's Garden Book 

By Prof. W. F. Massey 

Prof. Massey has been doing gardening for 
nearly all of the eighty years of his life and he 
knows what's what in gardendom. He has put 
the experience gained in all these years of prac- 
tical experience in this garden book for the 
Southern States. 

Neatly printed and illustrated, paper bind- 
ing, 127 pages. This book with The Progressive 
Farmer one year for $1.25. 



Hines' Automobile Book 

By P. T, Hines 

Mr. Hines is a practical automobile mechanic, 
and he has treated the subject of motor car 
operation and care in such simple, brief, con- 
cise, practical, and yet thorough manner, that 
it will be a boon to every motor car owner. It 
will help solve any automobile problem that 
may come up. 

Illustrated, paper binding, 96 pages. This 
book and The Progressive Farmer one year for 
$1.25. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRrSS 



002 834 936 1 



